From the beginning
by Shasha2
Summary: What if Rory and Jess where born on the same day and Luke was left to raise Jess. What if lorelai and Luke met at the hospital and somehow ended up buying a house together. Luke and Lorelai get together quite quickly.
1. Chapter 1

Lorelai was wondering around the hospital corridors with a tiny Rory in her arms on the night of Rory's birth. Rory's father had just left, with no plans of returning, and Lorelai needed to clear her head.

Rory was whimpering slightly but Lorelai knew she didn't need to be fed or changed so just held her tightly and spoke softly to her as she slowly wandered the corridor.

"We don't need him baby," She said in a soft voice, "he wouldn't be much help anyway, we are better off without him."

"Just you and me sweetheart," she smiled at her daughter who was beginning to relax, "well soon enough, we are just going to stay at my parents house for a tiny little bit, mummy needs some money first."

Lorelai walked passed a young man who couldn't have been more than a couple of years older than her, slumped up against a wall. Lorelai dreaded to think why he was standing outside a room like that, he looked quite upset. She smiled at him slightly as she saw he had noticed her staring and hoped he was just like Christopher and didn't want his baby.

Luke was standing outside his sisters hospital room after she had just given birth to his nephew, Jess. Luke was already in love with Jess but it was clear that Liz was not. Luke spotted a young girl walked up the corridor towards him with a baby in her arms who was even smaller than Jess, something Luke didn't think was possible. The girl hadn't noticed her yet and seemed to be talking away to her baby. This girl looked about to be about the same age as Liz, but was obviously taking her child's birth better.

The girl smiled at Luke and before Luke knew what he was doing he shocked even himself by speaking and saying, "hi, I'm really sorry to ask but I really need to talk to someone do you mind if we chatted, it's really ok to say no, don't feel any pressure, I really shouldn't have asked really. Jeez, Luke what are you playing at? Leave the girl alone. I'm sorry." Luke babbled once he realised that he had actually spoken to the girl.

Lorelai laughed, "quite a speech I must say, and actually I would quite like to talk to someone too, I'm scared out of my mind. If you don't mind, Luke was it? You can come back with me to my room, this one is asleep so I'll put her in the crib they gave me and we can chat. It's just down here." Lorelai turned and gestured down the corridor with one eyebrow raised.

Luke looked relieved and just nodded his head and followed her back to her hospital room and stood awkwardly in the doorway as he watched the girl put her baby in the crib place a blanket over her and kiss her on the forehead then after a moment of just staring at her baby seemed to remember that he was there and jumped a little before turning around.

"Ok, you first, sit down, I'm lorelai by the way, that over there is lorelai number two, I mean guys name their sons after themselves all the time why can't girls do it too, I'm just calling her Rory though for short, so, Luke I believe you called yourself, that is you right? What's up? Is your baby ok?" Lorelai spoke so quickly Luke almost couldn't follow.

"My baby?" Luke asked confused, "oh Jess, yeah I guess he is mine now. Well he is my sisters, but that's what I want to talk about. And yeah my name is Luke, well caught."

"Thank you, wait, you had a baby with your sister?" Lorelai asked with her eyebrows nearly reaching her hair line and a disgusted look on her face.

"What? No, ofcourse not! My sister had a baby today, an adorable little boy called Jess. She is only 16 so she doesn't want the baby so she said she is either giving it up for adoption or if I want I can raise him. I'm only 18 myself and of course I love him already but I'm not at all prepared for this. I have some money from when my dad died a couple of months ago but not quite enough for a place to live. I live over my diner, my dads old shop I just turned into a diner, I only opened last week. Why didn't she tell me before, surely she knew, she could have warned me and not just sprung it on me like this. I can't let him grow up not knowing me, I love him too much, I'm just freaking out because I'm not ready I had no time to prepare and now he's here in a room with a mother who doesn't even love him." Luke said his face growing paler towards the end.

"I'm only 16 too," lorelai said quietly, "and I'm sorry about your dad, what about your Mum? Could she help out. And I'm sure your sister loves him, she is probably just stressed. It's not possible not to love your little baby."

"She doesn't," Luke interrupted, "I saw it on her face, when I saw him and held him, it was like, wow, I can't even explain what it was like it was amazing, she held him for not even a minute and asked if she could put him down yet. As for my mum she died years ago, it's just me and Liz now and Jess too now but Liz is leaving, there's nothing I can do there, I saw it in her face she has made up her mind. I can't loose Jess too."

"I know exactly how you felt," lorelai said with a wide grin on her face.

"Of course you do." Said Luke meeting her eyes. "Im going to keep him, I have to." Luke then said with a determined look on his face.

"Good" smiled Lorelai, "I don't think you'll regret it, I don't see how you could."

Luke the looked at her, "I wasn't the only one who needed to talk." He prompted.

Lorelai looked confused for a second then realisation flooded her face and she sighed, "ah yes, good old me."

"You're 16, you just said that."

"Ok then good young me, it just doesn't have the same ring to it. Anyway like I said I've got little Rory now, and she is well she is absolutely amazing. My parents think she should be hidden away from proper society until I am old enough to present her properly, whatever that means and her father, Chris, he all but said he wished she had never been born. Do you know where he was when I was giving birth? At a house party. A bloody party. I guess he is a bit like your sister, no offence but he just doesn't care about his kid. He suggested adoption too today after he had met her, how could he do that? Anyway I've already decided what to do about him, if he doesn't want a place in his daughters life I'm not going to force one on him, I'm not going to block him out but he has to make the effort, if he wants too. My really problem is I can't stay at my parents, they haven't kicked me out or anything, I just don't want Rory growing up in that society, I want to give her a proper life. I have a bit of money and I can probably get more somehow before I leave, but I can't stay there. I just don't have anywhere to go." Lorelai said, finishing in tears.

Luke got up from the chair he sat it and knelt in front of her, "hey," he said softly, "I don't have anywhere to go either, I've got my place but I can't have a baby there. We can have no where to go together."

Lorelai laughed slightly which got a smile out of Luke, "what use does that do?"

"No use whatsoever."

" I don't even know where I want to go, I'm not staying in Hartford, I hate this place." Lorelai said with a stubborn look on her face.

"Well I win there then, I know where I want go, or stay mor exactly. Stars Hollow. It's where I've always been. I just don't have a house, if you have a baby you need a house or at the very least more than a one room apartment, well apartment is a bit of a push, it really is just an office."

Luke and Lorelai sat in silence for a bit, "hey Luke," Lorelai said slowly turning her head towards him where he sat on the bed next to her, "this might be the tiredness or the desperation talking or maybe I'm still high on those drugs they gave me, but whatever it is it's talking it, me and you, get our money, together we can get a place I'm sure, for both of our babies, and Jess is your baby now, in stars hollow. I've never been but you obviously love the place. I'm not sure if I can do this by myself. We could do this. I know we don't know each other and we literally just met and this is a terrible idea but I am tired and desperate and you know maybe a little bit high and well I trust you for some reason, you've got a little baby just as much as I do."

Luke looked at her in shock, "What?" "How?" "Why?" "When?" "Where?"

Lorelai couldn't help but laugh, "well done you know your 5 w's, how is how even a W, user it has the W at the end, but it just isn't the same. And I've got to say I totally have already covered some of the ground for some of those questions, keep up!"

Luke seemed to recover from the initial shock, he shook his head slightly, "you can't be serious we don't know each other, I could a a crazy axe murderer or you could be a crazy axe murderer, you are definitely crazy. I mean you aren't I know you aren't but still, that isn't the point. You haven't even met Jess."

"Is that your only concern, I haven't met the newborn? Your right what if our personalities jut clash?"

"You know what I mean, there is a place actually, near the diner, it's not perfect but it's 3 bedrooms, I was considering buying it for Liz, but I didn't have quite enough for a deposit, I totally could have done the monthly payments from the diner if I had just a bit more for a deposit." Luke said going a bit dazed at the end as if he was considering it. "No," he said, "this is crazy, you are crazy. We can't do this can we? We just met."

"It sounds pretty perfect to me. We could have a room each, and the babies could share once they got a bit older, at first we would have to keep them with us but in a few months. They would be best friends too!" Lorelai was getting excited, "I bet I have enough to finish off the deposit for you and then some to get us going with baby stuff."

Luke looked at her, "would it be totally crazy if I said yes?"

"Totally, but say it anyway!" Lorelai smiled at him, "you know you say crazy a lot."

"Ok." Said Luke, "lets do it, I don't think I would say that to anyone else so you better feel special."

Lorelai squealed at jumper at him hugging him tightly, "you won't regret this, not one bit."

Lorelai had squealed a bit loudly and had woke Rory up who started crying, Lorelai looked at Luke really guilty and then jumped up and ran to her. She gently picked her up and held her close, looking in her face with concern all over her face as she rocked her whispering softly. Luke got up and stood behind her, he placed a hand on her shoulder and said, "I'm going to go check on Jess now, I shouldn't leave him for too long, don't be hard on yourself, she's ok, it's late I'll come back in the morning."

"Bye Luke." Lorelai said, now smiling slightly as she continued to rock Rory.

Luke walked down the corridor back towards Liz's room. When he entered the bed was empty so he figured she must be in the adjoining bath room, he walked over to where Jess lay crying slightly, "hey little man, I might have found us some friends." Luke said with a loving smile on his face as he picked him up. He walked around the room rocking Jess slightly when he noticed the bathroom door was open, Liz wasn't there, she had just left Jess by himself so that she could go wonder about, he was sure she hadn't gone far but still that wasn't on, he was only a few hours old, she couldn't just leave him by himself. Then he saw it, on her bedside table, a piece of paper folded over with his name written on it. Luke's heart sank, he knew what it said before he even opened it. He decided to open it anyway just in case. Liz had left, she didn't say where she was going just that she wasn't coming back. She had said that Luke could keep Jess or put him up for adoption, adopt him himself if he wanted but that Jess was not Luke's problem. She had called her own son a problem.

Luke stormed off down the corridor towards Lorelai's room with Jess in his arms and the note in his left hand. When he arrived the door was still open so he just walked in. Lorelai was sitting on he bed with Rory in her arms. She looked up when she noticed someone entering and saw it was Luke, he didn't look pleased.

"Hey what's wrong?" She asked, then saw Jess in his arms and smiled, "is that Jess?"

"Yeah," said Luke his face softening considerable when he looked down at the little boy in his arms, "here, read this." He said shoving Liz's note towards her.

She took it awkwardly, struggling to not disturb Rory who had fallen back asleep in her arms. She read it and had to keep from gasping at several bits. She couldn't believe it how could anyone be like that. She was really starting to dislike Luke's sister. At the end of the note when she called Jess Luke's problem, Lorelai was struggling not to cry for the little boy in her new friends arms.

"How could she?" Asked Lorelai, "She is just like me, how could she?"

"She is nothing like you!" Luke said almost outraged, "I've seen you with Rory, you would never consider doing what she did."

"Well," Lorelai said after a minutes silence where they both thought about what Liz had done, "it's her loss. Are you going to adopt him then?"

"Yeah," said Luke smiling, "I'm not going to do it straight away, in a few months, life is going to be crazy enough. I'm going to let thing settle down, start a routine and then make it official then if there are any problems, I don't see why there would be but if there are, they couldn't take him away from me."

"They aren't going to take him away. I'm not even entirely sure who they are." Lorelai said with a small smile.

"Yeah me either, but I'd still rather settle in first." Luke then stood up, " I should get back to liz's old room, in case any nurses come by and get concerned, I'll come by in the morning, ok?"

"See you then, roomie!" Lorelai said in a quite excited voice as to not wake the two babies.

"Don't call me that." Was all Luke said as he left.


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning Luke and Jess where discharged, early and allowed to leave. On their way out Luke went to see Lorelai, for a few reasons. One he needed to make sure she was all good with the sharing a house thing still, two because he said he would come by the next morning, three because honestly he just wanted to see her again.

When he approached her room with Jess in his carry cot / car seat thing he heard a shrill lady's voice arguing with Lorelai and Rory crying.

"You can not name that baby after yourself, Lorelai, honestly that's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard, I understand you already signed the certificate but your father could definitely get it changed, how about something nice, like Susan?"

"Her name is Lorelai, but we are jut calling her Rory end of discussion, and will you please keep your voice down, you are scaring her." Lorelai said without taking her eyes off the baby in her arms.

The lady, her mother Luke thought, huffed, "fine we will talk about this at home, I'm just going to speak to the nurse about you getting discharged quicker, honestly this is taking all day." She stormed off and didn't even notice Luke standing in the door way.

Once she had gone Lorelai said to Rory, "she does realise it isn't even half 8 in the morning, all day is a little bit longer than that isn't it sweetie?"

Luke laughed a little bit and Lorelai noticed him, "oh good, hi, are you going now. This is the plan, I'll go home with my parents now, don't worry I won't be staying, they'll never let me leave so I'll gather all I can and leave at night tonight, stars hollow, I've definitely seen that on the list of bus stops so I should be able to get the bus there and meet you tonight, how does that sound."

"Great, but you aren't taking the bus in the middle of the night with a new born, tell me your address and I will pick you up say midnight? And before you agree are you absolutely sure this is what you want?" Asked Luke with his eye brows raised slightly.

"Absolutely." Lorelai said quickly and told him her address, "I'll see you tonight, midnight, now quick before my mother gets back."

With that Luke left out to his truck, "I can't have this super cool truck anymore can I Jessie?"

Jess just looked at him.

"I guess not. For now I'm going to drive really carefully to a car dealership, see if I can trade it in for something a bit more suitable."

So that's it what Luke did, he drove super carefully to a dealership and spoke to the manager who bought his truck and then sold him a jeep.

"That's better isn't it?" Luke asked Jess as he strapped him into the back seat. Luke drove them back to stars hallow and went to see about buying the house he had his eye on.

The house was currently empty, and as Luke knew the current owner, who took pity on him for being left with Jess so last minute, and with the promise of the full deposit the next day and a deposit for the deposit already paid, Luke was allowed to move in that day. That meant that Luke had 1 day and a very limited budget to get the house ready for lorelai and Rory coming. He couldn't do it alone, he probably couldn't even do it with help but with help he at least had a chance. The first people he called where Buddy and Maizy, his parents old friends, who had stayed close to him and Liz after the death of his parents. They said they would come straight away. He then called his mates from school, the few that were still around, most had gone off, including his old girl friend Rachel.

He got the keys and went to the house he was relieved to see that one of the bedrooms in the house was already furnished, he had been told that he could keep any furnisher that was left in the house. That meant he only need to move his bed over from above the diner, and get the cot and travel cot that were in the diner. He could get the small amount of kitchenware he kept in his apartment. Thinking about the diner, he knew he couldn't get the bed until that evening when it was closed, he also really, needed to check up on Caesar, who had been hired as soon as the diner opened but the diner was still very new so so was Caesar.

Buddy and Maizy were the first people to arrive at the new house, they knew that Luke wouldn't mind so just went straight in. Once in the living room they saw Luke bent over the floor with a little tiny baby lying on a mat. Luke was obviously trying to change his nappy, trying but not succeeding. Maizy rushed over to him to help.

"You know," said said, "I used to change your nappies." She guided him through it and then went to sit on the stairs, "come on Lucas, tell us what happened, this must be Liz's wee one, where is she?"

"I have no idea where she is. She took off, left him in the hospital room all by himself. And yes this his him. Jess she named him before she left."

"She left?" Asked buddy, confused, "just like that?"

"Yep."

"Wow!"

"Yep."

"So Lucas are you going to raise little Jess, we will help anyway you want us to you now that." Asked Maizy rubbing Luke's back.

"Yeah I am, I'm moving in here, tonight with Lorelai and her daughter, Rory. That's what I need your help with. I need to get this place ready for two newborns to live In." Luke said standing up, ready to go.

"Wow, slow down there, who is Lorelai?" Said Maizy looks at Luke very worried.

"I met her last night at the hospital, she is 16 and just had her own daughter. She needs a place to go and doesn't have enough money to get i place. I didn't either but together we do. We are going to be house mates. With newborns. I know it's crazy but I trust her I really do."

"You're right Luke, that is crazy." Said Buddy, "beyond crazy."

"It's not really any different than normal house mates. Apart from the new borns." Luke said.

"Luke you don't know this girl."

"Ill get to know her, when you move in with housemates you don't always know them."

"I guess not." Said Buddy, realising there isn't much point in arguing with him, and figuring he might as well help him.

"One of these bedrooms already has a bed which is great so tonight after the diner closes we can go get my bed and Jess' cot and the travel cot I bought Liz, I have some mates coming round this evening to help with that. Well also grab cutlery and plates and glasses and stuff. I have a microwave and there is already an oven in the kitchen. I have a small table in my apartment that will do for now. What we do need to get is a sofa and maybe a tv if I can afford one. And more baby stuff. I was looking through the bag Liz left with all the stuff she had gotten Jess and she really didn't buy a lot, I gave her quite a lot of money for stuff for the baby too. Anyway doesn't matter now, point is Jess needs more stuff. He doesn't have a single toy or stuffed animal or anything." Luke said.

"Ok," said maizy standing up next to her husband, "we can definitely help you with that, and don't worry about being able to afford anything. I don't want to here any complaining, you are like a son to us Lucas, we are going to help you out. Today we will but you a decent living room and kitchen and stuff for that adorable little baby."

"Maizy-," Luke started but was cut off.

"She said don't argue, Luke now come on," Buddy said in a firm voice that left no room for arguing.

"Thankyou so much," Luke said sheepishly, "I'll pay you back, I promise,"

"You will do no such thing," Buddy said, "we are doing this for you because we love you, just as you love Jess."

All day Luke Jess Buddy and Maizy shopped. Luke was starting to see how tiring it was to have a newborn baby.

When they came home it was coming close to 6 o'clock and some of Luke's mates where starting to arrive which was good because they needed a lot of help to unload the cars and the delivery truck that was due to arrive in about 15 minutes.

Luke took Jess out of the car and went to greet his friends.

By 9 everything was in and Jess was once again asleep in Luke's arms, after being fed and changed, Luke was really getting the hang of it even if he did feel 10 times more tired than he ever had in his life.

The large group made their way over to the diner to see it being shut up slightly early as Luke had instructed. They went upstairs and Luke showed everyone what he wanted brought over to the house, including his bed. Everyone started helping out.

Luke wasn't much help as he didn't really have anywhere or particularly wanted to put Jess down.

His best mate from school, Josh came over to speak to him at one point at about half 9.

"Well mate, your life changed quickly didn't it. Welcome to farther hood." Josh said slapping Luke on the back gently as to not wake Jess.

Josh had had a baby girl with his girlfriend the year before, "your life will never be the same. It's great though, trust me."

Luke smiled, "how's your life Josh?" Luke asked as he knew that Josh hadn't had the easiest life as he struggled to find work due to him not finishing high school.

"Not great, to be honest, Maggie and Leah are great, ofcourse they are, but I haven't been able to find a job for a month now and we are really feeling it, you know?" Josh said his face wrinkling with worry.

Luke grinned.

"Thanks mate, I'm glad my worry makes you happy." Josh says looking at Luke strangely.

"No, work here, I need to hire someone. I know I can trust you, work here."

"Seriously!"

"Yes, I know you can cook a bit but Caesar works everyday and he can do the cooking, you can mainly be out front, you've always had people skills this will be perfect. I need to spend more time with Jess anyway, I can't just leave him, I was worried about what I was going to do."

"You are the best person ever. I could kiss you," Josh grinned.

"Please don't." Luke said looking disgusted.

"I can't wait to tell Maggie."

"Go now, we are almost done here anyway. Come back tomorrow 7am you can start work." Luke smiled at him.

"You've got it, I won't let you down." Josh said as he rushed out.

Time flew by and before Luke knew it it was 10:30 and everyone was leaving except Buddy and Maizy. Luke was trying, fairly unsuccessfully to calm down a fussy Jess who didn't seem to want anything.

"You better get going." Maizy said entering the room and sitting on the brand new sofa, "bring him with you the car ride might calm him down."

"Or make him worse." Buddy said.

"Helpful." Maizy replied to him shouting him a look.

"Hey," Buddy said, raising his hands incurrence, "just being truthful."

"He seemed to like it before." Luke said optimistically, "and you are right, I better get going. Than you both, really, for everything today, I can't tell you how much it means."

"Lucas relax, and you are very welcome." Said Maizy as she shooed him out the door, "now go we will stay here until you get back."

Luckily Jess did like the car ride and quickly fell back asleep, " you know buddy all you do is sleep." Luke said to no one as even the newborn was asleep, not that he could have understood him if he had been awake.

It was quarter to midnight when Luke pulled up outside a huge mansion that was the address Lorelai gave him. "Wow!" Breathed Luke.

Jess on the other hand was less impressed by the mansion and started to cry again now that the car had stopped.

Luke unbuckled his seatbelt and twisted his body round so that he could interact with Jess in his car seat. Jess seemed pretty content as long as he had Luke's pinky finger firmly grasped in his fist.

"I guess we are just sitting like this then." Luke once again spoke to no one about his twisted body.

Luke jumped and startled Jess when he heard a knock on the window, Jess started to cry and from outside he head Lorelai whisper, "Sorry!" And then she opened the back door, "nice jeep by the way."

She carefully placed Rory in her car seat on the back seat then put all their luggage in the boot of the car. She climbed into the back seat in between the two car seats and said to Luke who was still trying to calm down Luke, and this time he was having some success, "I'll deal with him, he'll be ok, you drive, I want far far away from here." She then turned to Jess and replaced Luke's finger for her own in his fist. She then produced a little dummy from her pocket that she placed in Jess' mouth and he started to suck on it and calm down, "these things are life savers!" She said dramatically.

"What are?" Asked Luke who couldn't see what she was doing as he was driving.

"Dummies, Rory loves them, I've got 6 but I don't think I have enough."

"6? How could that not possible be enough, she only has one mouth!"

"That is true, she is not a mutant child. Thankyou for noticing that by the way it's one of my favourite things about her."

Luke laughed at that, "crazy you are absolutely crazy."

"Hey look your favourite word!"

"That is not my favourite word, you just happen to be crazy so it comes up a lot when you are about." Luke said smirking slightly at her in the rearview mirror.

"I take offence at that you know. I happen to be perfectly same." She smirked back.

"Now that, I think might just be the winner." Luke replied.

"Winner? What of?"

"Funniest thing you've ever said."

"Ha ha."

The car lapsed into silence as Luke drove on the dark empty roads of midnight. Lorelai yawned and watched Rory and Jess.

"What's it like?" Lorelai asked, almost shyly, but not quite.

"What's what like?"

"My new home. Our new home." Lorelai replied with a smile, "I have the money by the way, I was able to get more than I thought."

"The house is great. Buddy and Maizy really helped me out. We have a bedroom each, with beds and everything, a cot in each room although one is just a travel cot. We've got an equipped kitchen, I don't know if you like to cook or not but I do. And the living room has a sofa and a tv." Luke said sounding proud of all he had achieved.

"Wow, it sounds absolutely amazing. Who are Buddy and Maizy?"

"You'll meet them soon, we are almost there, they were my parents best friends. They don't have any children of their own but they always looked out for me and Liz. I think they are going to try and find Liz, make sure she is ok, she is only 16. They've really helped me out. They bought us the living room and half the kitchen. The rest of the stuff I got from my old apartment. Luckily Liz had all her stuff there and she was staying with me. By the time I got there all her clothes and the small amount of money she had were gone."

"Wow! That is really generous of them, how can I thank them? I know they did it for you but it helped me too." Lorelai now looked nervous about meeting them.

"Hey, don't worry about it, ok? They are really nice people. They will love you straight away, trust me, ok?" Luke made eye contact with her in the mirror.

"Ok."

The rest of the trip was spent in silence. Until they pulled up outside a house.

"Is this it? Wow! It's so cool! This is ours? Luke this is amazing! Thank you!" Lorelai was almost bouncing with excitement.

"Wow, chill, you are paying for it too. You haven't even seen inside yet." Luke said as he rounded the car and began to remove Jess' car seat from the pack who had thankfully managed to stay asleep during the stop. The same could not be said for Rory however.

"Shhh shhh shhh," lorelai said lovingly to Rory, "don't cry baby, this is our new home. It's the best home anyone could dream of, trust me you'll love it."

Rory calmed down at the sound of her mother's voice and stared at her, "yeah baby that's right, it's amazing here." Lorelai grinned at her.

"Come on." Said luke who was half way up the driveway with Jess, "it's cold."

"Don't be such a baby."

"It's October!"

"I know."

"Let's go inside."

The door opened and Buddy and Maizy jumped up off the sofa to great the girl that Luke would be living with. The person who walked in was not who they expected. They knew that she was only 16 but she looked so young and innocent. She was carrying a carry cot / car seat that held a tiny baby wrapped in pick.

"You must be Lorelai." Maizy said, already taken by the young girl, "I'm Maizy, this is my husband Buddy we are close friends of young Luke there."

Luke smiled at her, placed Jess' car seat on the ground and jogged outside to the car to collect Lorelai and Rory's stuff, Buddy seeing what he was doing went out to join him.

Maizy picked up Jess and went to sit on the couch, signally for Lorelai to follow her. "How are you doing?" She asked the young girl.

She half expected for Lorelai to cry and was ready to reassure the girl and offer support but Lorelai surprised her. Lorelai grinned and said, "great, honestly I'm doing amazing. Rory is the best thing ever, even if she is just a day old, well nearly two days really. All I need to do is find a job and then my life will be the best thing ever!" She said maintaining the grin the whole way through her sentence.

"I'm glad you are doing so well. If you are looking for a job my friend Mia runs and Inn nearby and she is always looking for maids, if you stopped by tomorrow I can't guarantee that you'd get a job but I think it would be pretty likely. She was once a young mother herself and she has helped out many young mothers over the years. She lets her maids bring their baby's to work, from room to room as long as the don't disturb their work."

"Really?!" Lorelai looked beyond excited, "this is the best place ever! Stars Hallow! Wow!"

"It is pretty great I have to agree with you there." Skilled Maizy as she tapped lorelai on the leg and stood up when Luke and Buddy returned, "we better get going, it's getting late, and you two have babies to put to sleep. Good luck." And with that Maizy and Buddy where gone and Luke and Lorelai were alone, with two sleeping babies of course.

"They are amazing!" Smiles Lorelai, "this place is amazing! You are amazing! Everything is amazing!"

"I'm glad you are happy," Luke smiled at her, "Maizy is right, it is getting late, let me show you your room."


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning at half five saw both Luke and Lorelai in the kitchen rocking crying babies. They both had bottles in their hands trying to feed them. Eventually Rory took to her bottle and Lorelai grinned turning to Luke and saying triumphantly, "ha, I won!"

Luke just glared at her until a minute later when Jess finally started to feed from the bottle, at this point his glare turned into a grin.

"Do you know where the Inn is in town?" Asked Lorelai once both babies were comfortably feeding.

"What? You're leaving already?" Luke looked shocked.

"What! No! Maizy said that a lady called Mia runs the inn and that she might be able to give me a job."

"Oh, good, yeah I know Mia and The Independence Inn, I can show you later if you like?"

"Thanks, Luke."

"Lorelai, how are you going to work with Rory I've been trying to think of a way to work with Jess but beside paying someone to look after him, which kinda defeats the purpose of working, I can't come up with anything."

"Just strap him to you." Lorelai said as she finished off feeding Rory and started to burp her.

"Strap him to me?"

"Yeah, like in a baby carrier, on your front. You have to be careful of course, but your hands will mainly be free."

"Lorelai you are a genius."

"I know." Lorelai grinned at him.

Luke just rolled his eyes, "come on I'm wrecked, it's too early to go anywhere let's watch some tv."

Later on Luke was upstairs showering before they left to go to the Inn, Rory and Jess where both on special baby cushions on the floor. Lorelai was on the sofa almost asleep when Jess started to cry. She sprang up immediately to determine which baby was crying.

"Hey Jessie," she said noticing that it was Jess who wasn't happy, "what's up?" She asked him

lifting him out of his pillow thing.

"You know mister, I think you are just a little bit bigger than Rory over there." She spoke to him to try and calm him down as he took her finger in his fist again like he had the night before in the car.

When Luke came down a few minutes later Lorelai was pacing the living room with Jess in her arms. Jess was very content and just staring at her.

"Hey, he ok?" Luke asked pointing to Jess in her arms.

"Yeah, he's all good, he just won't let me stop walking, watch this." Lorelai then stopped pacing and immediately Jess started to cry.

Luke smiled at them and walked over to them, "come here." He said to Jess taking him out of Lorelai's arms. Jess wasn't happy about that so Luke immediately started pacing like Lorelai did. Jess calmed slightly but not entirely. Lorelai walked over to them and started to rub Jess' back, this got him to calm down and he fell asleep on Luke's chest.

"Are you some kind of baby whisperer?" Luke asked Lorelai looking impressed.

"Some kind? I am the kind. Now let's go." Lorelai replied strapping Rory to her chest as she watched Luke do the same to Jess.

"See," she said, "now our arms are free to work as long as we are careful."

They took the walk through town to get to the Inn so that Lorelai could see where everything was.

When they arrived at the Inn Luke pointed out a lady behind the front desk, "that's Mia, she owns the place."

Just as Luke and Lorelai where approaching the desk, Mia spotted them, "Lucas? Is that Liz's little boy you have there? Wow, he is so small! How is Liz? She must be thrilled with him, and exhausted!"

"Ummm Mia, Liz is, well Liz, she left Jess with me yesterday and I don't think she is coming back." Luke said awkwardly as he put a protective hand on Jess' back.

"What do you mean she isn't coming back? What about her little boy, Jess did you say? Where has she gone?" Mia said looking concerned for the 16 year old who seemed to be out on her own.

"I'm not really sure Mia, when Jess was born she didn't really seem to well she said she didn't care. Then I left the hospital room for a little bit, I kinda wanted to see if maybe they would bond, and I met Lorelai but anyway when I got back Liz was gone she had just left Jess and a note saying not to try and find her." Luke said with a sad look on his face.

"Well anyway," Mia said, sensing a conversation change was necessary, "who is this young lady you have with you?"

"I'm Lorelai, it's nice to meet you." Lorelai spoke up from Luke's side.

Mia turned to face her and her face softened. Before her stood a girl who was obviously very young with a tiny baby and a slight stomach that suggested that she had recently given birth to said baby, "I see you've got a baby too, who's this?"

"This is my daughter, Rory, just like Jess she is two days old. I actually came to you because I was speaking to Maizy last night, Luke said you know Maizy and Maizy said that you are often looking for maids and let them bring their babies and I was just wondering if you had a position open, because I really need a job, and well I understand if you don't have a position or if you just don't want to hire me." Lorelai was getting nervous now and wasn't quite sure how to finish her sentence.

"Calm down, sweetie." Mia said with a slight laugh in her voice, "you actually have perfect timing, I need a maid right now actually, would you be able to start today, you can do a trail week to see how it works out. You can bring your baby along just make sure it doesn't get in the way of your work."

"Thank you so much. Really. Rory won't be any problem, she sleeps most of the time anyway. I can start right now." Lorelai looked very relieved.

"Perfect," she caught the attention of a young girl and called her over, "Jessica, this is Lorelai and Rory, Lorelai is going to be doing a trail period, if you could just let her shadow you for today, and if you could go easy on her, little Rory there is only two days old."

"Sure." Smiled Jessica and Lorelai and Rory went off with her after Luke told Lorelai to meet him in the diner for lunch.

"So Lucas, come and sit down and tell me about what's happened." Mia said leading Luke and by extension Jess over to a couch in the lobby.

3 months passed and Luke and Lorelai grew to become very close friends. They had a perfect, they would get up with the babies, which meant both of them up at around 6. They both left for work at 8 always met up at the diner for lunch and met home for dinner. Luke cooked for them. Most importantly they had an amazing time every day. They were always smiling and Rory and Jess where the happiest babies ever. Both smiled as soon as either Luke or Lorelai came near them.

One night, movie was on tv, Jess was on Lorelai's lap and Rory was climbing over Luke. "You know," Luke started up a conversation.

"Shhhh, Lucas, me and Jess are trying to watch this movie, isn't that right Jessie?" She asked the three month old on her lap bouncing him slightly to make him smile.

"One I've told you a million times don't call me Lucas, you only get to call me Luke, no nicknames either. And two I wanted to talk about Jess."

"Alright then Lukey, shoot what do you want to talk about."

"Don't call me Lukey that is so much worse than Lucas, and no before you ask that doesn't mean you can call me Lucas because it's better than Lukey, you can call me Luke. And I was just thinking it's time that I adopt Jess properly." Luke said as he tickled Rory's sides and she grinned at him a toothless grin.

"You are right it is about time." She said to Luke then turned to Jess, "you hear that Jess? Lukester over there is officially going to be your daddy!"

"Seriously, Lukester? You better not teach either of them any of that when they are old enough to understand. And do you think I should be his dad. Like should he call me dad or uncle Luke. That's right I said Luke. I am technically his uncle not his dad, but then again when I adopt him that will make him legally mine and I will be his adoptive parent." Luke started to rant so Lorelai jumped in.

"You are being ridiculous you know. Of course you are his dad. Not biologically, sure, but you look after him, day and night. You love him like he is your son. You are the only farther he will ever know. He should call you dad, it's only right for both you and him." Lorelai said firmly.

"Are you sure?" Luke asked her not entirely certain.

"Absolutely, now we are watching a movie and me and Jess have already missed enough of it, if you and Rory don't want to watch it that's fine but we are quite enjoying it aren't we Jess?" Jess continued to smile at her so Lorelai took that as confirmation and looked triumphantly at Luke, "see?"

Later that night, after Lorelai had finally gotten Rory to sleep she came downstairs to see Luke lounging on the sofa. "Took you long enough." He said.

"She just wouldn't sleep. I read her like ten million stories and at the end of each one she would just start crying. I eventually gave up on the stories and sang her to sleep." Lorelai said sitting down very dramatically next to Luke to show how tired she was.

"Well, if you want to know Jess went down in like two minutes." Luke said with a cocky smirk on his face.

"I didn't want to know. So want to talk about adopting him. How do you even adopt a child?" Lorelai sat up and faced Luke.

"I think you just contact a lawyer and they deal with most of it. That's what I hope anyway I'm going to see a lawyer tomorrow. I hate lawyers." Luke said with a groan.

"Every last one." Lorelai asked back with a smirk.

"Yep."

"Good to know." Lorelai's voice trailed off at the end.

Luke and Lorelai where now just staring at each other and before either of them knew what they were doing they were kissing.

After a few minutes Lorelai pulled back, "can we do this?"

"I've wanted to do that for so long now." Luke replied.

"So have I but is it right, we have two little babies upstairs, can we do this?" Lorelai asked looking straight into Luke's eyes.

"I don't see why not. Nothing will change with the babies, we can still look after them." Luke said as he reached out and took Lorelai's hand in his.

"I know that," Lorelai said leaning into Luke slightly, "I just don't want Rory to get attached to you, if we go out and then break up. I'm already attached to Jess, I love that little guy so much, it would kill me if we split up and I couldn't see him anymore."

"I know that Lorelai I do, and I can't promise that if we start to date it will last forever but I can promise you this, if we do this and I really want up to I'm in, I'm all in. And anyway do you really think we can both just live our lives like we did before knowing how the other one feels about us. I know I couldn't." Luke looked Lorelai in the eye the whole time.

Lorelai leaned in and kissed Luke, this time when she pulled away she rested her forehead against his, "I'm all in too."

"Good." Luke said as he kissed her again.

At quarter past 11 they were cuddled up to each other dozing on the sofa when Lorelai's baby monitor went off. They both shot upright to see who's monitor it was.

"I better go, she's not have a good night it seems, I'll see you in the morning, ok?" Lorelai said giving Luke a quick peck and then shooting up the stairs.

The next morning at about 3 o'clock a panicked Lorelai holding a whimpering Rory crept her way into Luke's room, she walked over to where he slept and starting shaking him awake.

"Luke! Help!" She pleaded with him as he woke up.

Luke woke with a start to see Lorelai's panicked face in front of his, "what's wrong?" He asked sitting up immediately.

"Rory's sick, she's really warm and she just threw up."

"But she was fine this evening." Luke said still not fully awake.

"I know she was fine but she isn't anymore, what do I do?"

Luke saw how panicked Lorelai was and lead her outside into the corridor so as to not wake Jess up. "She'll be fine, give here here." Luke said extending his arms towards Rory and taking her out of her mothers arms. Rory continues to whimper as she buried herself into Luke's chest.

"You are right she is warm, she has a fever. We will give her a bath and some of that baby medicine and take her to the doctors tomorrow first thing in the morning, ok?"

"Yeah." Said Lorelai already rushing to the kitchen to retrieve the medicine, "what about work, I can't just blow Mia off, we have a really busy day tomorrow at the Inn."

"Don't worry about it, do you think you could bring Jess with you to work instead, I'll take Rory to the doctors and come see you straight away afterwards, ok?" Luke said stroking Lorelai's arm with his free hand.

"Yeah I'll take Jess, and you will come straight to see me as soon as you are done at the doctors?" Lorelai asked Luke looking very young and vulnerable.

"Straight to see you." Luke confirmed as he ran Rory a bath.

"What about your lawyer, when are you seeing her?" Lorelai asked, already much calmer as she got Rory ready for her bath.

"I'll go later on, we can do a baby switch if you want, or I could probably bring both of them with me."

"No it's ok, I'll take Rory, I'll want to make sure she is ok anyway."


	4. Chapter 4

The next morning a nervous Lorelai took off for work with Jess and Luke and a still fussy Rory took off for the doctors.

When Lorelai arrived at the Inn, Mia noticed her looking pale and worried. "Hey," She said approaching her, "everything ok?"

Lorelai looked at her with large eyes, "Rory is sick, she won't stop crying and she has a temperature and she even threw up. Luke is taking her to the doctors, I'm just worried about her."

"Ah, well that would explain why you have Jess with you. She'll be ok. Take the day off. No arguments. You can probably catch up with Luke before he gets seen by the doctor. It is the local doctor in town, right?"

"Really? Thankyou so much Mia! Yeah it's that doctor. I better go then. Really this means a lot." Lorelai said rushing out to catch up with Luke.

Lorelai caught up with Luke to see him sitting waiting in the waiting room. Rory was on his lap leaning against his chest, she had stopped crying but she still looked pale. Luke had one arm around her and the other stroking her back. Lorelai rushes in, "Hey, Mia gave me the day off, how is she? Has she been seen yet?"

"Not yet, should be soon. She's doing ok I think, she has stopped crying and I think she's almost ready to go back to sleep." Luke said as he continued to stroke Rory's back as Lorelai sat down.

Not even two minutes had pasted when a kind looking middle aged man walked into the room and called for, "Lorelai Gilmore."

As all for of them walked forward Luke whispered to Lorelai, "you know sometimes I forget that her official name isn't Rory."

"Honestly, same." Lorelai whispered back with a small grin.

Once they got into the doctors office Luke kept Rory on his lap because Lorelai still had Jess and he was asleep and they didn't want to disturb him.

"What can I do for you today?" The doctor asked them.

"Rory here hasn't been well all night. Last night when I tried to put her to sleep, she wasn't having it and she is normally quite good at going to sleep. Then she kept waking up and crying and she has a temperature and she threw about at about 3 in the morning." Lorelai said, explaining everything to the doctor.

"Deary me, let's have a look at her. Dad if you could just sit her forward a bit so I can have a little look at her." The doctor said gesturing to Luke.

"Oh umm I'm not her dad." Luke said awkwardly but he did what the doctor asked of him.

"Sorry, my mistake." He said, he started to examine Rory, she did not like it at all. Lorelai started to stroke her hair and Luke spoke quietly to her to try and calm her down.

After a few minutes the doctor sat back, "ok, there is a small infection in her ear, that is likely causing her the distress, I'm going to give you a prescription for an antibiotic, if she doesn't get better over the next few days then please come back. You could also try playing a warm towel over her ear for 10 to 15 minutes."

Luke and Lorelai walked home, stopping off at the chemist to collect their prescription. When they got home Lorelai but Jess down in the travel cot they kept in the living room and then went to pick up Rory, "hey baby girl, you doing better, let's get you some medicine, ok?" Lorelai spoke softly to Rory as carried her through to the kitchen. Luke followed her through after quickly checking on Jess. "I think I'm going to go to see that lawyer now." He said.

"Ok," lorelai said her attention still on Rory, "oh and bring that note Liz left, leave Jess where he is, I've got the day off, there is no need to bring him with you and he's sleeping now anyway."

"You sure?" Luke asked.

"Yeah I can handle it." Lorelai said grinning at Luke.

"Ok I'll be as quick as I can be." Luke said rushing towards the door.

"Oh Luke." Lorelai called after him.

Luke stuck his head into the kitchen again, "Yeah?"

"You know if we are doing this, it mean you get to kiss me before you leave." Lorelai said suggestively.

"Ah, does it." Luke grinned as he approached her, "That is very good to know." He kissed her softly then left.

Another 3 months passed and Luke was now officially Jess' father, the adoption went a lot smoother than either Luke or Lorelai had hoped. Luke and Lorelai had been dating for three months and that had also gone smoother than either of them could have hoped. The diner was doing really well, Luke had been worried that with him working less and hiring another person that he would struggle with the diner but no it was doing great.

Luke and Lorelai sat in the kitchen in front of two baby seats, feeding their babies baby food.

"Come on Rory, say mama," Lorelai coached Rory who just looked at her and laughed.

"That's right Rory, laugh at your mother, she is being ridiculous with all her mama couching, you'll say it when you are ready, isn't that right?" Luke said as he continued to feed Jess.

"Oh and don't you want Jess to call you dada?" Lorelai asked him.

"Ofcourse I do," he rolled his eyes, "but that doesn't mean that I have to coach him, he'll say it eventually."

"Well with all my effort, Rory will definitely do it first." Lorelai said proudly.

"Oh you think so." Luke said, rising to the bait.

"Yes I do."

"Fine, competition is on, come on Jess, we can beat them say dada." Jess just looked at him.

That Saturday was Lorelai's birthday and Luke had organised for a big party to be put on for her in the square, food provided from Lukes ofcourse. That morning Luke was up early with Jess. Him and Jess where sitting on Luke's bed and chatting, well Luke was talking to Jess and Jess was staring intensely back at him, sometimes Luke swore that Jess knew exactly what Luke was saying he was just not responding because he was messing with him.

"You know Jess," Luke said lying back and lifting Jess high above his head to make him laugh, "today is Lorelai's birthday. We are going to have a big party. But don't tell her it's going to be a surprise. You and Rory will have so much fun. Why don't we go wake them up hey? Oh and Jess say dada, just like this da da. No? Ok, just make sure you say it before Rory says mama, that's all I want."

Luke crept into Lorelai's room with Jess on his hip and saw that Rory was wide awake and sitting up in her cot, she just obviously hadn't decided to make any noise yet. Luke put his finger to his lip to signal for Rory to keep quiet, apparels she didn't get the message because when she saw Luke she squealed and lifted her arms up to him, luckily this didn't wake up Lorelai so Luke crept over to the cot and awkwardly lifted Rory out so that he had a baby in each arm, "I said shhh missy." He whispered playfully at Rory, who laughed at his tone, "shhh." He repeated.

He then tiptoed carefully to Lorelai's bedside and dumped the babies on top of her causing them both to giggle and her to wake and start tickling them slightly. "What are you two doing here?" Lorelai asked them, smiling at them as they rolled about.

She then turned to Luke and kissed him. "Hey," She said in greeting pulling back.

"Happy birthday!" Luke grinned and gave her another peck on the lips before sitting on the bed himself.

"Hey Rory, it's mummy's birthday," Lorelai said lifting up Rory and setting her on her lap, "Do you want to give mummy a present and say mama, mummy would be very pleased if you said mama."

Luke rolled his eyes, "You are trying to guilt her into saying mama."

They both looked at Rory half expecting her to say it, she however just crawled away from Lorelai and Lorelai started to pout, "it's like she doesn't want to say it!"

Jess seeing this crawled himself over to Lorelai and said, "mama!"

Luke and Lorelai froze and Jess just repeated it louder "MAMA!" as he hit Lorelai in the stomach to really show who he was talking about.

"Now I know we need to talk about this, but I would just like to ask, who won?" Lorelai asked Luke.

Luke choice to ignore her comment, "what do we do?"

Jess sensing the tension started to cry. Lorelai frowned, she didn't want to make him cry, so she picked him up and held him close and rocked him, "shhhh, baby, it's ok, you're ok."

"Mama." Jess muttered into Lorelai's embrace over and over again.

"Come on," Luke said, picking up Rory and stretching his free hand out to Lorelai, "let's go downstairs, I have a special birthday breakfast planned for you."

"Ohhhhh, exciting," Lorelai grinned as she followed Luke down the stairs, "hear that Jessie, Luke has a special birthday breakfast for me."

10 minutes later both of the babies had been fed and Luke and Lorelai were digging into their own breakfast as the babies entertained themselves with some toys that had been placed in front of them.

"Want to talk about what happened?" Luke asked Lorelai, touching her hand to get her attention.

"You know I was shocked but I really don't mind, I love him like he is my own. I'm kinda honoured, even if he doesn't know what he did. I kinda like the idea really." Lorelai admitted shyly.

"You sure?" Luke asked, "do you just want to leave it, let him be."

"Yeah I mean I really do love him as if he was my son, it's nice to think he loves me like a mother too." Lorelai then took a pause and a deep breath before she said something that she had never said before to Luke, something that she had wanted to say for a while, "and you know, just for the record, or whatever, I Well I love you too." She said looking down at her food.

Luke took her face in his hand and raised it so that they were looking each other in the eyes and without any hesitation said, "I love you too. You and Rory, more than anything." He then kissed her and continued to kiss her until they were interrupted by a large squeal coming from Rory as she dropped her favourite toy on the ground.

Luke picked it up for her and played with her for a bit as Lorelai just watched fondly. Suddenly he turned to her, "would you mind if maybe, ummm, well it doesn't matter actually." Luke then busied himself with clearing plates.

Lorelai stood up and put her hand on his arm, "no what is it?"

"It's nothing, don't worry about it."

"Luke..."

"No it's just that I was just wandering, it's just I love Rory, so much, just like she was my own daughter and I was wandering if you minded if maybe she called me dad, it's just it would make me so happy, and I understand if you wouldn't want that, I would be totally fine trust me it's just an idea really." Luke babbled away, shocked that he had the nerve to bring it up.

"Hey, Luke look at me, of course I wouldn't mind, I'd be thrilled actually. I'm sure Rory would be too." Lorelai said looking him straight in the eye.

"Marry me." Luke blurted out, then his eyes went wide, he'd actually said it, they'd only know each other for 6 months, sure they had a connection like no other he had even know about, but still they had young babies and she was only 17, and he was only 18. He loved her, sure, and he would love nothing more than to spend his life with her, but he can't just ask her to marry him just because he wants to, can he?

"What?" Lorelai said shocked.

"I'm sorry I shouldn't have said it, ofcourse I meant it but if you aren't ready that's more than ok, just forget I said anything ok?" Luke said, looking like he wanted the ground to open up and swallow him. All he could think was stupid luke! Over and over in a loop.

"No, not ok, i won't forget it, do you really want to marry me?" Lorelai asked, gaining her confidence back after the initial shock.

"Are you kidding?" Luke laughed, "of course I want to marry you, you're perfect!"

"No ones perfect," Lorelai argued back.

"No, but you are pretty damn close."

"Ok." Lorelai said.

"Ok what? What does ok mean?" Luke said, hope in his eyes.

"Ok means that I would be beyond honoured to marry you." Lorelai grinned at Luke.

Luke rushed to her and embraced her tightly, "I love you so much." Me muttered into her hair. Then realisation hit him, "I don't have a ring."

"That's ok, we don't have a lot of money to be wasting, I don't need a ring."

"You are getting a ring." Luke said stubbornly. "In fact I have my parents wedding rings upstairs including my mothers engagement ring, it's beautiful, if you don't mind having a second hand ring."

"Luke seriously? You'd give me your mothers ring? Are you sure? Doesn't that mean a lot to you?" Lorelai asked him looking him in the eye to make sure she got an honest answer.

"You mean so much more to me than the ring and I would be thrilled if you would accept my mothers old ring." Luke said honestly.

"Ok then, go get it." Lorelai grinned at him as she went to crouch between the two babies, "hey guys guess what, we are getting married!" Lorelai said with so much joy in her voice that both babies grinned at her even though neither could understand what she was saying.

"Mama!" Jess shouted out gleefully.

"Yeah baby, I'm going to be your mama." She hugged Jess from his seat.

Just then Luke returned. And reach out his hand to give Lorelai the ring.

"What, aren't you going to do it properly?" Lorelai grinned at him, "I want you down on one knee." She said.

"Ok," Luke grinned as he went down on one knee and held out his arm with the ring. "Will you Lorelai Gilmore, please do the honour of becoming my wife."

Lorelai took the ring from him admired it, put it on her finger, whispered "yes!" To him and kissed him again, "you know I've got to say this is shaping up to be the best birthday ever!"

They then showered and got dressed and got the babies bathed and dressed and ready to go out.

"Let's go to the square, you have the whole day off, let's have some fun." Luke said, trying to act as natural as possible, so to not give away the surprise party.

"Yeah that sounds good but first I want to talk about something. You know when we get married, can we all become Danes, I know you and Jess already are but me and Rory too and can we adopt them both together? I know Rory is already mine and Jess is already yours but can Rory officially become yours and Jess mine as well, like a proper little family."

"The Danes family. Luke Lorelai Jess and Rory Danes, I think it has a ring to it." Luke said as he buckled the babies into their prams, "just while we are hear, guys, would either of you like to say dada, no? Jessie is mama enough for one day?" Luke asked crouched in front on the pram.

"Mama!" Jess said with joy again.

"That's right baby," Lorelai grinned, "I'm your favourite!" She stuck her tongue out at Luke playfully.

"Fine," Luke said as he went over to Rory, "Rory, I need your full attention here, eyes on me, this is very important, I need you to say dada, ok? Da da? Just like that."

"No!" Lorelai launched herself over towards Rory, "Rory don't do it! Have some loyalty to the person who gave birth to you. That was sore you know. Mama, come on Jess already did it you don't want to be left behind, mama!" Lorelai said it with such enthusiasm it actually worked and Rory copied her, "mama!"

"Yes baby, such a smart girl." Lorelai said kissing her all over her face.

Luke groaned and lay back on the floor from his crouched position.

Lorelai took pity on him, "come on babe, now that I have definitely won, I can help you with your dada quest, I'm obviously very good at it." She patted him on the belly and he sat up and took one of the strollers in hand, "come on, let's go to the square, we're late."

"Late?" Lorelai said, "late for what? We are just going for a walk? We are just going for a walk aren't we?"

"Ummm yeah, I just meant we are late from the plan that we made before." Luke bluffed.

Lorelai laughed, "Do you know what I love about you, Luke Danes?" She asked him.

"No what?"

"You are such a good liar." She grinned.

"Shut up and act surprised."

"Ok how's this," Lorelai faked surprise in the most over the top way she could.

"Seriously, Lorelai, people have put effort into this." Luke said smirking at her performance.

"You just don't want people to know you let it slip." She accused.

"Let's go," Luke said quickly.

They arrived at the town square to see nearly the whole town there, "Wow Luke this place looks amazing!" Lorelai gushed at the set up.

The crowd spotted them coming and started shouting surprise and then and happy birthday. It took Miss Patty and Babette a whole 5 seconds to notice the new ring on Lorelai's finger, "What's that there, sugar, on your finger?" Babette shouted at her, after consulting with Miss Patty that this was definitely an item of interest.

"Oh nothing," Lorelai said casually, then grinned and said, "only an engagement ring!"

Lorelai was then whisked away into a crowd of excitement that Luke could only role his eyes and shake his head at.

Later on Lorelai found herself sitting on a bench next to Mia with a sleeping Rory in her lap. "You know I remember when William gave that ring to Luke's mother." Mia said smiling fondly at the memories of her old friend.

"What was Luke's mother like, he has told me a bit about his father but apart from the fact that his mother liked to cook I don't really know much about her."

"She was wonderful," Mia started and the two talked about Luke's mother until Luke came over and interrupted with a crying Jess.

"Hey Lorelai, I think he wants you." Luke said rocking Jess.

"I'll leave you two to it." Mia said walking away.

"What makes you think that," Lorelai said placing Rory gently into her stroller so that she could take Jess.

As soon as she took him he said, "mama," and curled into her.

"He keeps saying that." Luke said sitting next to Lorelai and putting his arm around her as she lent into him.


	5. Chapter 5

That evening when Luke and Lorelai had returned home and put the babies to bed they sat down on the couch together.

"You know the spare room?" Lorelai asked Luke.

"Yeah,"

"It's bigger than either of our rooms," Lorelai said.

"That it is..." Luke responded, not entirely sure where Lorelai was going with this.

"We could make it something of the master suite, give each baby their own room." Lorelai suggested.

"We could definitely do that." Luke grinned at her, "when?"

Lorelai shrugged, "now."

"Now? How?"

"Well your bed is bigger than mine and closer to the spare room, we can put Jess into Rory's cot, neither of them will wake up and move the bed tonight." Lorelai suggested, getting to her feet ready to go.

Luke grabbed her hand and pulled her back, "you know we would have to take the bed apart and put it back together, it won't fit through the door in one piece."

"Yeah and if it becomes too big of a job and we can't finish it tonight we can just go sleep in my bed and finish the job tomorrow, tomorrow is Sunday we have all day off." Lorelai said using her hands in Luke's to pull him up. "Go get Bert, I'll move Jess over." She said.

"Bert?" He called after her.

"Yeah, Bert, your toolbox." She said as if it was obvious.

"Of course, why wouldn't you name my toolbox, Bert."

It turns out the job was to big. By midnight they had all of the bed moved into their new bedroom but it wasn't built and neither of them were in the mood to build a bed.

"Come on, I'm exhausted, just come to my bed with me." Lorelai said dragging Luke towards her room.

The next morning Lorelai woke up in Luke's arms to the sound of Jess crying. She rolled out of bed and picked him up, he immediately stopped crying, Rory was still sleeping so Lorelai just carried Jess to the bed and climbed back in with Luke. Luke put his arms around both of them.

"It was really good to wake up in your arms you know." Lorelai said with a blush.

"It was really good to wake up with you in my arms," Luke responded, giving her a quick peck on the lips.

After a few moments of silence and watching Jess entertain himself, Lorelai spoke up, "I want to see my parents."

"Ok," Luke said shocked, because she never spoke about them in a positive manner.

"I just, Well they are still my parents, and I want them to meet Jess, and you, and I want them to know I'm going to get married." Lorelai explained herself.

"I know," Luke said, "when do you want to go see them."

"Friday night, they will always be home on a Friday night with no guest, they've always had this weird Friday night, family only thing. Come with me please, I don't think I can do it by myself." Lorelai pleaded with Luke.

Luke took her hands and softly kissed them, "of course I'll come with you, we have a few days of mental preparation, todays only Sunday."

Friday seemed to fly in, over the next few days they moved into their new room together and decorated each of the babies rooms a bit more like baby rooms. They also discussed their planned adoptions and decided they would do it before the wedding, that meant that Lorelai would be the last one to take the Danes name, which she did complain about a little but quickly got over it.

Friday evening at half five they all got into Luke's jeep. They knew that both of the babies would sleep the whole way there, but they couldn't be sure if they would wake up when they arrived or not, Lorelai wasn't even sure what she was hoping for.

"They don't eat on a Friday before 7," Lorelai explained to Luke as they hit the road, "which mean that we will arrive before they have dinner, which is good, the worst thing we could interrupt would be their evening drinks."

"How do you know they won't eat before 7?" Luke asked.

"It's a Friday."

"So?"

"Trust me the Gilmore's do not eat before 7 on a Friday, it killed me when I was pregnant and starving."

"You are always starving."

"I was so much worse when pregnant, you know Rory has quite the appetite too."

"Yeah I do." Luke smiled.

Most of the car ride was spent in silence. Lorelai was nervous about seeing her parents again after taking off in the middle of the night over 6 months ago. Luke was nervous to meet Lorelai's parents, he didn't know a lot about them but they didn't seem like people who could be easily pleased, especially not her mother. He had dressed as smartly as he could, he even took off his blue baseball cap that Lorelai had given him for Christmas. He just didn't feel right not wearing it. He was nervous not just as the boyfriend, or fiancé but also as the guy who took her away in the middle of the night in her Jeep. Also the guy who brought Jess into her life and acted as Rory's father. This just wasn't going to go well for Luke and he knew it.

As they were approaching the house Luke was started to get jumpy.

"Do you think I could just hide behind you the whole time," he asked Lorelai, only half joking.

"You know I think they might just see you." Lorelai replied rolling her eyes, "don't worry, trust me they will be too busy having a go at me to even begin to have a go at you."

"I'm not sure if you are right there, but we are here so here goes nothing." Luke pulled up outside the huge house that just over 6 months ago he had pulled up to take Lorelai and Rory away.

Luke got out first and went round back to lift Jess out, it was decided that it would be better if Lorelai was holding Rory.

"He's awake but not fussy," Luke told Lorelai, "and from the way Rory is grinning at me I think that applies to her too." Luke said as he waved at Rory and freed Jess from his car seat.

They approached the front door, "I forgot how huge this house was." Luke said in awe.

They stood at the front door for a good minute, with Rory and Jess babbling away. Luke touched Lorelai's shoulder slightly making her jump and then lean into the touch once she realised who it was, "you know, if we are going to do this you have to ring the door bell."

"I know," she then took a deep breath, "here goes nothing, one two three," she counted and then closed her eyes and hit the door bell.

"I want to say well done, but all you did was ring a bell." Luke said before the door was opened by a maid.

"Yes?" She asked.

"Ummm hi," Lorelai said, not recognising the maid and wondering how many maids they had been through when Lorelai was away, when her mother was angry she goes through a lot more, "would you be able to tell them, ummm Emily and Richard, that Lorelai they're daughter is here."

"Sure," the maid said, giving them a funny look, she didn't know the couple had a daughter.

They heard the maid go into the living room and announce that there daughter was at the door. They then heard both Emily and Richard get up and walk towards the door, "Lorelai?" Emily asked.

"Yes mother." Lorelai said not quite meeting her eyes.

"What are you doing here?" Emily asked in shock, they had searched for their daughter and grand daughter for months after they had taken off.

"Well umm I came to see you and talk to you and well I missed you." Lorelai blushed at admitting that last bit.

"And is this Rory?" Emily's face softened looking at the baby in Lorelai's arms.

"Yeah, this is Rory." Lorelai smiled and rubbed her daughters back.

Emily then noticed that they weren't alone, "who is this, Lorelai?" She asked in a harsh tone.

"This is Luke and Jess, could we sit down, before we chat, can we chat?" Lorelai asked her mother.

"Of course we can chat! Come on in give your coats to the maid, oh wait, you don't have coats on you, never mind, come sit down." Emily took Richards arm and led him back to where they had been sitting before.

Luke walked directly behind Lorelai and whispered in her ear as they passed through the entrance Hall, "this place is so much bigger and scary looking inside."

Emily and Richard took their seats and then Lorelai sat on the long sofa and Luke just stood looking awkward until Lorelai smiled at him and patted the sofa next to her, so he sat down next to her.

"Ummm well Mum, dad, as I said this is Luke, and that little boy Is Jess and well Luke has actually been my boyfriend for the last three four months and me and Rory have been living with Him and Jess."

Richard took a deep sigh, he did not like where this was going.

"And well, we have decided to become a proper family, me and Luke are getting married, I'm going to adopt Jess, as Luke already has and he is going to adopt Rory. I just thought that may e you'd like to know."

Emily laughed, a bitter laugh, "is this some kind of joke. Miss I'm never getting married, you can't make me, is now getting married to this man. What about Christoper, Rory's real father, he has told me that you have made no effort to include him in Rory's life."

"No Mum that's not fair, Chris has made no effort to be in Rory's life, he has never even held her, it's ridiculous, and I never said that I was never going to get married, I said I wasn't going to marry Christopher just because I was pregnant. I didn't love Christopher. I love Luke and I love Jess." Lorelai smiled at Luke who smiled weakly back at her. She then spun right back round to her mother, "what do you mean Christoper told you, do you talk to him why?"

"Why? Because he is the father of my granddaughter, Lorelai, honestly, if you have changed your mind about this whole marriage thing there is no need to let your pride stand in the way, you don't need to marry this man and take up another baby, I can speak to Christopher I'm sure he'll understand."

"No mum I haven't, I'm marrying Luke because I love him, more than anything, he is absolutely amazing. Do you know what, I just wanted to let you know, god knows why, come on Luke let's go." She stood up and took Luke's hand.

"No." Richard spoke up for the first time, "sit down Lorelai, you too Luke. I'm not stupid enough to think that I can change this, so I'm trying something new, if you don't mind Lorelai, I'm trying to be accepting, so ummmm Luke tell me about yourself? Oh and before you start, Lorelai, would you mind if I had a little hold of my grand daughter over there."

Luke and Lorelai exchanged a look, Lorelai then shrugged and said, "sure dad," she stood up and walked over next to him and said to Rory, "Rory this is your grandpa, he is mummy's daddy."

"Mama," Rory said pointing at Lorelai.

"Yes baby, you are so smart." Lorelai grinned and kissed Rory's head.

She then passed her over to her father who held Rory on his lap, Rory then pointed over at Luke and said, "dada."

Lorelai closed her eyes and sighed, Rory could not have picked a worse time to break that out for the first time.

"She calls him dad!" Emily half yelled in a shrill voice which scared Jess who held his arms out to Lorelai from Luke's lap and cried, "mama!"

Lorelai walked over to him and picked him up and hugged him close stroking his back.

"Lorelai," Emily said in a low voice, "why does this boy call you Mum."

Lorelai looked her straight in the eye continuing to hold Jess close and stroke his back, "because I am going to be this Mum, I love him like he was my son and I think he loves me like I was his mother. I already told you we want to be a proper family, I'm adopting him."

Emily stood up, "was one baby not enough for you! Honestly Lorelai what's wrong with you. First you decide Christopher isn't good enough for you, he comes from a very good family you know. And then you decide to replace him with this random man, and if that wasn't bad enough you decide hey why not just adopt another baby, I only have one after all." Emily started to shout halfway through, this caused both the babies to start crying.

Rory seeing that Lorelai's arms were full reached her arms towards Luke and cried, "dada!" Luke went over to her and picked her out of Richards lap and cuddled her as she began to calm down.

"He is not her father!" Emily said through gritted teeth, "lorelai you obviously can't make decisions, you are coming back to live here, with Rory obviously and not that boy or that man."

No I'm not and I'm leaving, with Rory obviously and that boy and that man. Who are called Jess and Luke by the way, not very hard names, I would have thought you'd have picked them up by now. I'll send an invite to our wedding, I don't know when it will be, you can decide if you want to come or not." Lorelai with Jess then stormed out, Luke gave them a small smile, because he wasn't exactly sure what he was suppose to do and then followed Lorelai out, with Rory.

The drive home was done in silence and was very tense. When they got home, they fed the babies then put them to bed.

When Luke came down after checking on Rory quickly after putting Jess to bed, he found Lorelai sitting on the couch, staring ahead. "Lorelai." He said softly.

She looked up at him and burst into tears and ran to him. He held her in his arms and rocked her slightly. "Come on," he said, "let's go to bed."

"But we haven't had any dinner." Lorelai said.

Luke laughed, "now there's the Lorelai I know, come on I'll order us a pizza and then we can go to bed."

"But you hate pizza you said it was far to unhealthy and greasy and would kill me." Lorelai looked confused.

"Oh and it will, but I'll order one anyway." Luke smiled.

"You want to kill me?" Lorelai faked shock.

"As quickly as I can." Luke said and kissed her causing her to laugh.

She then gasped, "I know we should eat the pizza in bed." She grinned like she had discovered something beyond wonderful.

"Absolutely not. We will eat in it the kitchen then tidy up and then go to bed."

"But that's not fun."

The argument went on until the pizza guy arrived, and then they ate the pizza in the living room.


	6. Chapter 6

The next morning Luke and Lorelai were awake early, lying in bed expecting to be woken up from one of the baby monitors in their room. Lorelai picked one up and held it right up against her ear.

"What are you doing?"

"Trying to hear something, neither of them have ever slept in this late in their entire lives."

"There lives haven't been that long." Luke reasoned.

"Maybe they're plotting something." Lorelai said her eyes growing wide as her imagination ran away from her.

"Yes maybe the two babies, each not even seven months old, neither of whom can communicate or move around are plotting something." Luke rolled his eyes and wrapped his arms around Lorelais waist pulling her closer. He kissed her neck and then said, "calm down crazy lady, and get some sleep. Follow their lead."

Lorelai turned in his arms and made a face as if considering his proposal, "nah, I'm awake, I'm going to see if they are ok, if they are planing an uprising I want to make sure I'm on the right side. And I dispute that they can't communicate did you hear that mama dada talk last night, it was crazy."

Lorelai left and walked in to Jess' room to find him asleep and the same with Rory so she returned to Luke and jumped back into bed, "sorry bad news, both being boring and asleep."

"And it what way is that bad news." Luke sat up.

"Well would you not like your children to be the next big thing in the world. Like hitler but better!"

"I hope you mean better as in less murdery and not better at the murdering."

"Duh, why would I want them to kill, keep up Lukey."

"Don't call me that."

"Yeah yeah. Try and think of a better example, I guess they could be Churchill or someone but I just don't think it's the same. It doesn't have to be the Second World War. They could be Zeus! Ok not real, but that could be how they are better!"

"You are crazy. And I like you saying that." Luke smiled.

"Saying what. That our children are like a hitler Zeus cross over." Lorelai looks confused.

"Oh no thats that horrible. Your children. Our children. I like the sound of that." He wore a wide grin.

Lorelai kissed his grin. "They are our children."

"I know, I just like the sound of it."

"Me too." Lorelai said as she rested her head on his chest.

"When do you think we should get the adoptions done."

"As soon as possible, will we have to wait until after the marriage."

"No,"

"Ok then let's get it done before, I know we already discussed it but I'm sure, I'll be the last one to move over to Danes."

"You'll be fine, any idea when you want to get married."

"Next year, after I'm 18. I want to be an adult when I get married, is that ok?"

"Of course that's ok, it gives up time to plan and the babies will be older then too. What about some time in May or June next year?"

"Perfect!" Lorelai grinned as Luke kissed her.

Just as things were heating up Jess started to cry. Like and Lorelai sighed and leaned their foreheads against each other. "I'll get him." Lorelai said, and off she went. She returned 5 minutes later with a grinning Jess.

"Some ones happy!" Luke grinned at him.

Jess held out his arms and said, "dada!" As he laughed.

Luke looked thrilled, "finally, son!" He lifted Jess high above his head as giggled, then brought him to lie on his chest.

"What do you want to do today, you aren't working are you?" Luke asked Lorelai as Jess played with the bed sheets.

"No I'm not working, are you?"

"I'm my own boss, i can go whenever i want, remember?" Luke grinned.

"I know, but are you ok to not go in? You aren't just staying off to stay with me, I'm fine really. If you need to go in its fine."

"Nah josh and Caesar have got it, besides i fancy staying at home with my family. I quite like them you see."

"Oh do you?" Lorelai smirked leaning closer to Luke.

"Yeah," Luke breathed and then leaned up slightly to kiss her.

They kissed until they were interrupted by Jess slapping Lorelai on the face, "mama!"he shouted.

Lorelai sat up and took Jess onto her lap, "yes baby?" She asked him kissing him on the head.

Jess just settled back against her, "did you just want a cuddle? Were we ignoring you? Poor Jessie." She cuddled him, "Come on, you are hungry, let's go to the kitchen."

Luke looked at her, "you just want food don't you?"

Lorelai mocked outrage then laughed and said, "Yeah, keep an eye on Rory she should be up soon."

As Lorelai was walking down the stairs she head Rory start to cry, "ohhh Luuukkeee." She sang out.

"I've got her." He replied.

Luke joined Lorelai in the kitchen 5 minutes later.

"Hey baby," Lorelai said going to Rory to give her a kiss on the head, "are you hungry?" Lorelai showed Rory her breakfast and her face lit up, "I'll take that as a yes."

Time passed, it had a habit of doing that after all, and before anyone knew it it was a week before Rory's and Jess's.

Luke walked into the living room one day to see Rory and Jess in their walkers lined up with Lorelai in front of them doing the most ridiculous dance moves and them copying her movements, "what are you doing?"

"Teaching them to dance."

"A much needed skill for all one year olds." Luke responded walking into the kitchen.

"Glad you are catching up, once we've mastered dancing we are think about moving on to horse riding." Lorelai danced as she followed him into the kitchen.

"Mama!" Rory called in outrage after her mother, "Dan!"

"Ccccceeeee." Lorelai finishes her word so that Luke knew what it meant as she danced back out to the living room, "Come on Luke come dance with us."

"Not going to happen." Luke said in a gruff voice.

"Oh and why not tough guy?" Lorelai danced over to him and grabbed his hand and dragged him over in front of Rory and Jess, "you want daddy to dance, don't you?"

"Dada, Dan!" Jess laughed as he waved his arms around his head.

"Ahhh geez, Lorelai, why are they so hyper, did you give them coffee. I saw you trying to give some to Rory the other day."

"I did no such thing, coffee is for mummy only. Come on, come dance with me."

"No." He sat on the coach, "you don't even have any music on."

"You don't need music when you are having fun, isn't that right guys?"

"Fun!" Rory yelled.

"Exactly, baby! Come on Luke, it will be practice for our wedding."

"Our wedding is in June, it is October."

"So any minutes now." Lorelai dragged him up and started fake waltzing with him which caused both the babies to laugh uncontrollably.

"This is ridiculous." Luke said but he couldn't help but grin.

Ten minutes later Jess had stopped enjoying the dancing and it was clear that Rory and Lorelai were getting tired, but Luke knew neither would admit, even though Rory was yet to turn one she was so much like her mother.

"Come on, that's enough, let's eat. I brought food back from the diner." Luke picked up Rory and gave her a kiss on the forehead and tickled her stomach making her laugh.

Later that night after both the kids were asleep Lorelai and Luke sat down to chat like they did every night, "hey," Lorelai started, "I never asked you, what time was Jess born at?"

"11:57."

"Am?"

"I'd hope so because we met that night at about 10ish." He smirked.

Lorelai smacked his arm, "Hey, I'm tired, no need to be smart."

"Well tired lady, you've never told me either."

"Told you what?"

"What time Rory was born."

Lorelai grinned, "4:03."

"Now this is a serious question, am or pm?"

"Am, want me to tell you the story?"

"Go on." Luke wrapped his arms around her shoulders and she sank back into him.

"Well..."

The next morning Luke was downstairs with Jess while Lorelai and Rory slept in slightly before heading to the Inn.

"Lorelai!" Luke shouted up the stairs in a nervous voice.

Lorelai sprung out of bed, thinking maybe something was wrong with Jess, "what is it?" She ran down the stairs.

Luke was stood there with two envelopes, "they're here, these are from the adoption agency."

"Do they look like the one you got when you got Jess."

"Yeah they do."

"That's got to be a good sign right."

"Maybe all letters look the same."

"Maybe we should just open them."

"Yeah good idea." Luke ran his hand through his hair really wishing he had his baseball cap on him. "Here," he handed her one, "this one is yours."

"Ok on the count of three."

Luke nodded.

"One."

"Two."

"Three."

Lorelai ripped into her letter and Luke opened his a bit slower. They scanned through the content and looked up and met each other's eyes and grinned.

"I have a son! He is really mine now!"

"She's a Danes. Rory Danes. Lorelai Leigh Danes."

The pair hugged tightly and then Lorelai rushed into the kitchen where she knew Jess would be eating his breakfast. She rushed over to him and picked him up, "mama!" He grinned.

"Yes my son, I'm your mama!" Lorelai sat at the table and started babbling away to Jess with wild plan about what they were going to do together.

Luke came in with his daughter 10 minutes later, "hey miss Danes." Lorelai grinned at her daughter, "How you doing?" She stood up and kissed Luke and then Rory on the head.

"Brilliant timing, I've got to say." Lorelai grinned at Luke.

"How So?"

"Well we are already having a party tomorrow."

"Yeah, but for their birthday."

"Still a party."

"Come on, crazy lady, we need to get ready or we are going to be late for work."

They started eating breakfast, "it's not fair." Lorelai said out of the blue.

"What's not fair?" Luke asked continuing to eat.

"You call me crazy lady all the time and I don't have anything to call you, you always shoot down my suggestions."

"That's because I am a normal person you are crazy and by extension your suggestions are also crazy."

Lorelai scrunched up her mouth the the side, "how about..." she pulled out.

"How about what?"

"Oh I didn't have anything I just hoped something would come to me, it didn't."

"Come on, you have to be in the Inn in half an hour."

The next day was a Saturday, the Saturday of Jess and Rory's first birthday party. Lorelai had invited almost everyone in the town and maizy and Buddy and her parents. She was sure if she should invite her parents, after much thought she decided to sent them an invite, they probably wouldn't come anyway. It wasn't until after she had sent the invite that she realised that she had given her parents her address, something she didn't think was an amazing idea, but they had yet to show up so all seemed to be ok.

Guest started showing up at 4, which was perfect timing because Jess and Rory had just woken up from their naps and were ready to party.

One of the guests to show up was Sookie, when Rory saw her she smiled from the floor where she was playing with some blocks and yelled, "sooooook!" Extended her arms towards her.

Sookie rushed towards the girl, knocking into a chair, a table and a person on her way until she finally reached Rory.

Luke walked behind Lorelai and whispered in her ear, "who is that?"

"That's Sookie." Lorelai turned around to face Luke.

"She is going to kill me daughter, is she drunk she can barely stand up straight, how do you know her."

"She isn't going to kill Rory calm down, she is not drunk and she works at the Inn met her last week, she is about your age, maybe a bit older, she's a cook."

"They trust that lady with knives."

"And fire." Lorelai grinned and then walked off to greet their guests.

About half an hour later Lorelai ran at Luke grabbed his arms and pulled him forcefully into the kitchen.

"What? What's wrong?" Luke asked concerned about the panicked look on her face.

"My father is here." She explained.

"You did invite him." Luke explained back.

"Do you think my mother is here too? Where is she hiding?"

"Lorelai!" Richards voice beamed from the door way.

"Oh no, he knows I'm here!"

"Really? At your house, at the party you planned and invited him too? How did he figure it out? That man is a genius!"

"Luke! I don't have time for you to be smart!"

"Go talk to him, you can't leave him there forever, he looks very lost."

"Ok, come with me, please?"

Luke took her hand and kissed it, "always."

Luke and Lorelai approached Richard, "dad!" Lorelai said with strained enthusiasm, "I'm glad you could make it, is Mum here?" She couldn't help but asked, not entirely sure what answer she was hoping for.

"Umm no, she couldn't make it. I brought presents, for the kids, both of them. I couldn't think of what to get them so I thought back to what you liked when you were about 1 ish and you always got your nanny to carry around this huge big teddy bear."

"Ah yes, I remember Jeremy." Lorelai smiled.

"You named a teddy bear Jeremy, at 1?" Luke asked confused.

"Yes, well anyway, I got them these." Richard yesterday to two large teddy bears on the floor behind him, one with a large red bow around it's neck and the other a blue bow, "where is that granddaughter of mine anyway, I would like to say hello if that is ok with you?"

"Yes of course she is just through here. Oh and by the way thought you should know as of yesterday you officially have a grandson too, the adoption went through for Jess and it's not Rory Danes." Lorelai grinned at her father and leaned slightly more against Luke, afraid of how he would react.

Richard took a deep breath then put on a large smile, slightly too large, but he was almost there, "Well that's great, Lorelai, I guess I should go say hi to both of them then."

The next day a family pyjamas movie day was interrupted by a repeated tapping on the door.

"Luke get the door." Lorelai said.

"No, it's bad enough you won't let me get dressed, I am not answering the door in my pyjamas."

"If I let you get dressed it wouldn't be a pyjama day now would it." Lorelai said like it was the most obvious thing in the world, then slid Rory off her lap into Luke's next to Jess and went to get the door.

She opened it to the sight of a very angry looking Emily Gilmore.

"Hi Mum, good to see you!" Lorelai said slightly sheepishly but trying to hide it.

"What are you wearing, Lorelai it's 11 o'clock in the morning, are you wearing pyjamas?"

"Short answer yes, would you like the long answer?"

"No I would not like the long answer." Emily snapped and glared at her.

"I hear that Rory is now a Danes, you wouldn't let her take her own fathers name, the Hayden's are a respectable family you know, but you gave her some random name, who even are the Danes?" Emily said in disgust.

"Well there are three just through there, if you want to come and have a look." Lorelai said sarcastically pointing towards the living room.

"Finally some manners, you are finally inviting me inside, honestly Lorelai if I didn't know better I would have said that you had been raised by wolves." Emily walked straight towards the living room.

"No mum that's not what I meant." Lorelai shouted after her but it was too late, Lorelai could already here the very awkward voice of Luke said, "oh ummm hello Mrs Gilmore." And then heard Emily comment on the state of dress that everyone in this house seemed to be in.

"Mum you can't do this!" Lorelai chased in after her and mouthed sorry to Luke.

"Can't do what Lorelai?"

"Barge in here, this is my home, mine and Luke's."

"Yes I see that." She said as she looked around the room in disgust, "but I'm not here to discuss that, I'm here to discuss what Richard came home to tell me yesterday. First let's start with that we now have a random boy as a grandson?"

"Jess is not a random boy!" Lorelai shouted angrily, "treat him with respect, he is my son and he will be treated as so." Lorelai said sounding very final. Rory and Jess both started to look scared, so Luke brought them upstairs into Lorelai and his bedroom.

He played with them on the bed to distract them and could hear odd words from the argument downstairs, that was more of a screaming match. The names of the three occupants in the room come up a lot as well has the name Christopher and proper society.

Eventually a door was slammed and Lorelai ran upstairs in tears, "she's gone." She said quietly as she sat at the end of the bed.

Rory rolled ever to her, "mama?" She asked quietly looking upset.

Lorelai took her in her lap and kissed her head, "I'm ok baby, I promise."

Lorelai turned to Luke with tears in her eyes, "why doesn't she love me?" She asked him sounding more vulnerable than Luke had ever known her to be.

Luke got up and sat next to her putting his arm around her and stroking her arm and kissed the side of her head, "Hey! Of course she loves you, how could she not? Trust me it's impossible to not love you. Just give her some time ok? She'll get over it."

"When, Luke? I could never do that to either of them."

"I know you couldn't, but not everyone is as perfect as you are. Come on let's go back to the movie, I'll get more ice cream from the freezer."


	7. Chapter 7

On Tuesday morning at 4:02, the alarm went off next to Lorelai. Lorelai spring up and turned it off quickly, trying to let Luke sleep.

She was unsuccessful, "what time is it? Is everything ok?" Luke sat up.

"Shhhh," Lorelai said, getting out of bed, she kissed Luke on the lips quickly then whispered, "no time to explain, everything fine, I'll be back in a few minutes."

She then crept out of the room with the alarm clock in hand and into Rory's room. When the clock turned 4:03 she was sat next to Rory's cot and stroking her hair, causing her to stir slightly, "happy birthday little girl." Lorelai greeted, kissing the side of Rory's head causing her to wake up a little bit more.

"I can't believe how fast you are growing up!" Lorelai whispered to Rory as she sat up and smiled at her mother.

"So, baby, what do you think of your life so far? It's been pretty great, hey? That Luke dude was a lucky catch!"

"Do you know what I think? I think you are the best baby ever! No wait fix that, one of the best, Jess is pretty great too!" Lorelai kept her voice low to respect the early hour.

"It's so hard to believe that at exactly this time one year ago, I was lying in the hospital, only I had a huge fat stomach and big fat ankles and I was swearing like a sailor on leave and there I was, in labour, and while some have called it the most meaningful experience in your life, to me it was something more akin to doing the splits on a crate of dynamite and I was screaming and swearing and being surrounded as I was by a hundred prominent doctors I just assumed there was an actual use for the cup of ice chips they gave me, there wasn't, but pelting the nurses sure was fun!"

Rory laughed then recognising the word fun, "fun!" She giggled.

"Shhh, we are getting to the part were he sees your head." Lorelai whispered as she stroked the very head she was talking about.

5 minutes later Lorelai returned to bed to a nearly asleep Luke who woke up as soon as she climbed back in.

"What was that about?" Luke asked.

"Start of a tradition. Every year at 4:03 I'm going to go tell Rory the story of her birth." Lorelai snuggled back up against his side.

"Good to know." Luke said in a sleepy voice as he closed his eyes and dropped off.

Later on that morning, at a reasonable hour to be awake, the four of them went down for breakfast. When they entered the kitchen, Lorelai said in an over dramatic sing song voice, "hey look, Rory, Jess, what's that on the table, it looks like presents to me!"

Luke smiled and then said in a gruff voice, "you do know they are too young to understand or remember this."

"I know," Lorelai pulled a face at him, "that's why they only got something small each, I just can't let them have a birthday without a present, that would be beyond cruel."

"Oh yes, we would be the absolute worst." Luke rolled his eyes and started cooking breakfast.

At half eleven Lorelai and Rory came rushing into the diner, "Josh, hold the fort." Lorelai shouted as she grabbed Luke's free hand and dragged him up the stairs with Jess and Rory, into his old apartment.

"What, what's wrong? Why are you hear, you don't usually come for another hour, hour and a half."

"Well, mister fiancé, it's good to see you too. I am here because in like 20 minutes it will be exactly a year since Jess was born, and we can't just let that be another normal minute. No it's a special minute and we will spend it with him." Lorelai sat down, "Do you have any coffee?"

"Not up here." Luke sat down next to her taking Rory, to say a proper hello, "Do you want me to bring some lunch up here, we can eat, just us, spend some time."

"Perfect, go now, do you are back and get some coffee!" Lorelai pecked him on the lips and then pushed him up as he sat Rory down.

"No coffee, you had like a million cups this morning, it's too much."

Lorelai opened her mouth in outrage, "there is never such thing as too much coffee!"

"You are not having coffee." Luke said in a monotone voice, "and I'm going now downstairs, so bye." He disappeared behind the door and Lorelai heard him run down the stairs.

Lorelai turned to Jess and Rory, "what is he playing at, hey, guys? No coffee? Is he mad?"

Jess crawled up to her, "mama, play!" He demanded holding out a building block from the collection of toys they kept above the dinner.

"Yeah, mister, let's play! Come on Rory." She lifted Rory off the sofa where she had sat next to her, "let's build the biggest tower ever to be built."

"No down!" Jess shouted lifting his arms in the air triumphantly.

Lorelai smiled at him, "Yeah, baby, and then knock it down."

Just as they were starting to build there tower Luke came charging back in looking panicked.

"Lorelai can I talk to you, over here?" He asked dragging her up and over to the corner off the room.

"What?" Lorelai grinned at him, "wanna make out?" She winked.

"What? No." Luke said distractedly.

Lorelai raised her eyebrow and learnt back slightly, "no you don't want to make out?"

"What? I dunno, Lorelai, Liz is downstairs." Luke said panic rising in his eyes.

"Liz?" Lorelai asked in shock, "your sister Liz? As in the girl who gave birth to and then abandoned my little boy?" Lorelai was starting to panic now too.

"She can't take him back, though, can she? I adopted him, he is my son." Tears we're starting to well up in Lorelai's eyes.

Luke put is hands on her shoulders, "hey, look at me. Of course she can't. Jess is our little boy, ours, ok? Mine and yours. I don't know what she is doing here. She's sitting in the diner, she didn't see me, I saw her, froze and then bolted up here."

"Yeah, ok." Lorelai said quietly as she lent her head on his chest, "let's just stay up here for a bit, please, just until after."

"After what?" Luke asked, kissing the top of her head.

"11:57."

"Ofcourse, come on, they can not build a tower by themselves. I love them both more than anything, but that tower sucks." Luke lead Lorelai over to were Rory and Jess where rather unsuccessfully trying to build a tower.

They sat down opposite each other, a baby on each side of each of them.

"Dada, no go up?" Rory looked at Luke confused as she pointed at the tower.

Lorelai and Luke exchanged a smile and then started to help build the tower.

Lorelai kept one eye on the clock.

At 11:56, she grabbed Rory and sat down on the couch with her. "Come on," She said to Luke, "we have one minute, get ready."

At 11:57, the four of them sat closely on the couch talking about Jess. Well Lorelai and Luke talked about Jess. Jess and Rory just leaned back against there parents, content to listen.

At 12 they sat in silence with Lorelai's head rested on Luke with his arm around her and her arm around Rory with her hand resting on Jess. "I think we have to decide what to do? We can't stay up here forever." Luke said.

"Now you don't know that." Lorelai replied, "we will never truly know until we try."

"Yes but do you fancy trying?" Luke asked her looking down at her.

"No not particularly." Lorelai admitted.

"Ok then, what do we do?" Luke asked her.

"I don't know Luke, she is your sister, I don't know her at all, I've never met her, all I know is that the same people raised her who raised, you and you are like the best person ever, but I also know she left Jess all by himself when he was just a few hours old and wrote down how little she cared." Lorelai was getting frustrated, she wasn't sure how to react.

"I know it's not the time but I'm really not the best person ever." Luke blushed.

"Luke!" Lorelai exclaimed.

"Sorry, why don't I go down, see what she wants." Luke asked uncertain.

"Yeah I guess, ok, but I'm staying her and so are Jess and Rory." Lorelai said in a small voice tightening her grip slightly on the almost asleep 1 year olds.

"Ok, I'll be as quick as I can be." Luke kissed Lorelai quickly and then gently slid out of the sofa trying not to disturb Jess who was sitting on his lap.

He was mainly successful although Jess did start whimpering slightly.

"Hey, Jessie, you're ok. Mummy's here. Mummy is right here." Lorelai whispered to him using her spare arms to wrap around his and pull him into her side.

He snuggled up into her and calmed down. Luke stood watching and smiled at them, "don't worry ok I'll be right back."

Luke walked slowly down the stairs and then reached the curtain, he peaked through to see that Liz was still sat at the counter. He took a deep breath and walked through right up to her.

"Liz?" He said in a deep tone.

"Hey, big brother! So good to see you!" Liz said trying to hug him but he stepped back, keeping his hands in his back pocket.

"What do you want Liz?" Luke asked not meeting her eyes.

"To see you, it's been a year you know, and my little boy, how is he, it must be his birthday."

"He is not your little boy." Luke growled at her.

People where starting to look, "can we take this upstairs," Liz asked Luke.

"No we cannot."

"Well somewhere else, please?" Liz pleaded with him.

"Fine. Outside." Luke stalked outside with Liz following him. He walked over to an area with no people.

"I'll ask you again Liz, what do you want, why are you here? I don't have all day, so will you just tell me." He crossed his arms and looked off to the side.

"I don't know why you are being so moody." Liz said.

"Oh, you don't know why I'm being to moody?" Luke shouted at her, "I dunno Liz, I wonder why? Is it maybe because you just disappeared a year ago, or maybe it's because you just turned up out of the blue, or maybe it's because you said you didn't care about, Jess, sweet innocent Jess. Or maybe, and I think this one might be the winner, maybe it's because the love of my life, is sitting up there scared out of her mind that you might try and take her little boy away!" Luke started pacing.

Liz grinned, "My big brother is in love!" She said in a dreamy voice.

"No Liz you do not get to be happy for me." Luke said waving his arms around.

"Can I see him?" She asked quietly.

"See who." Luke asked annoyed.

"Jess."

"You said you didn't care about Jess. You just left him, you didn't even wait for me to get back so he wouldn't be alone, you just left him."

"I know, I'm sorry, I was scared, I didn't want a baby. But I've missed him. I'm starting to think that maybe I do care about him. Maybe I can be a mother after all."

"No! No you cannot be a mother, Jess already has a mother, a mother he loves more than anything in the world, you can't do this Liz!"

"How could be already have a mother?" Liz asked confused.

"Ever heard of adoption. Oh yeah of course you have you said in your note, you suggested it, you said he was now my problem. Nice way to describe him I think a problem. Well he isn't a problem. He is my son and he is Lorelai's son and we love him so much."

"Who is Lorelai, and how is he Lorelai's son, you can't just let any old person act as his mother you know."

"Lorelai is my fiancé, she is also the woman who has adopted Jess, she is his mother, and if you will excuse me, I have a family to be with." Luke stalked off.

"I'm family too you know. And I'm not leaving the diner until I see him. I will camp out if I need too." Liz shouted after him and started running back to the diner.

Luke stormed in and straight up the stairs locking he door to his old apartment and seeing Lorelai sitting on the couch, looking at him.

He leaned against the door and sighed, "hey."

"I'd get up, but I have sleeping 1 year olds on me. Help me put them in the bed and build a pillow tower around them so they can't roll off and then we can talk." Lorelai gave him a small smile.

"Ok." He returned the small smile.

"How'd it go?" Lorelai asked when they returned to the sofa.

"Not great. She won't leave the diner until she sees him."

Lorelai got a sad look on her face, "What did she say? What did you say?"

"She said well she said, she thinks she misses him and that she might want to be his mum. I told her no, that he has a mother that he loves more than anything in the world. That's you by the way in case you were wondering," Luke tried to get a smile out of Lorelai, "he is such a mommas boy." This did get a small smile but she still looked sat and was staring at her hands. "I'm going to phone Mia." Luke said.

"Why?"

"Because, you are staying here, with your son and daughter for the rest of the day. Don't worry she will understand."

"Thankyou."

"I'm also going to go downstairs and get that lunch I never got to get. Don't worry I'm not going to speak to her. I'll also get you coffee, ok? I'll be back really soon."

Lorelai nodded, "I love you," She said, "so much."

"I love you too, you know that right?" He got a nod out of her, "good, now I'll be as quick as I can."

Ten minutes later, Luke returned with a bag of food and a large cup of coffee, to find Lorelai sitting on the bed, stroking Jess' dark hair, as he slept.

She looked up as Luke returned and locked the door again, "you know, I've said it before, but he really does look like you."

"Not really," Luke said, "nothing like Rory looking like you, she is like a mini you sometimes."

"Yeah She is great." Lorelai smiled as she looked at her daughter.

"Come on, let's eat, I've even brought you coffee."

"Thanks."

They ate in mainly silence. Until they heard someone trying to open the door. Then someone knocking loudly and then a woman's voice, who Luke recognised as Liz started to shout through.

This woke up both of the babies, who were almost instantly picked up by their parents.

"Let me in Luke, I'm not joking I want in. I know he is there, I just heard crying." Liz shouted through the door.

"I know this isn't the time," Lorelai whispered to Luke as she stroked Jess' back to stop him from crying, "but that is not the voice I would have guessed for her."

Luke just gave her a look and then whispered back, "have I told you how crazy you are lately?"

Liz then quietened down, "she must be gone," Lorelai said in a normal voice.

Liz heard her from where she sat on the other side of the door, "I'm not gone, I'm sitting here waiting."

Like and Lorelai shared a look. Lorelai's grip on Jess tightened causing him to rest his head in her neck, sensing the tension, "let her in." Lorelai whispered to Luke.

"What?"

"She isn't going to go away and I don't want to live out my life here, I want to go home. Let her in, we can talk to her, but please promise me she doesn't get to hold him, not today, I'm not ready for that, please?" Lorelai pleaded with large eyes.

"Of course, are you sure?"

"Yes, just do it."

Luke with Rory in his arms went over and unlocked the door and then stood back. Liz heard the door unlock and ripped it open, nearly pouncing on Rory, then pausing.

"Why is he wearing a pink dress?" She asked confused.

"This is Rory, my daughter." Luke said giving to more information as he walked away from her over to where Lorelai stood.

"Your daughter? Where is my son?" She asked, getting impatient.

"You don't have a son." Luke responded, feeling how Lorelai shrunk against his side at those words.

"Who's that?" Liz marched over to Lorelai and tried to take Jess off her.

Lorelai turned to that Jess was stuck between herself and Luke, casing him to cry, "mama!" With tears on his face.

"Luke!" Lorelai shouted, turning her attention to Jess.

"See he wants me!" Liz said triumphantly.

"No you idiot, I am obviously his mother." Lorelai snapped at Liz and then started whispering into Jess' ear, causing him to calm down and cling to her.

Liz then started to cry, "please, I don't have anything. I was scared and young. And I ran off. But now I have nowhere to live and no money, he is all I have."

"Oh well in that case." Lorelai said sarcastically, rolling her eyes at Liz.

"Liz sit down." Luke said, signalling the sofa on the other side of the room and going over to the far corner with Lorelai.

"Can I bring them home?" Lorelai said.

"Yeah, that's probably a good idea, they shouldn't be around this, I'll talk to her, see what I can do, I'll meet you back at home, ok?" Luke kissed her quickly, looked her in the eyes and then carefully handed Rory over to her and walked her to the door.

Once they had left Luke went over to stand in front of a crying Liz on the sofa.

"I messed everything up." She threw herself at her brother, who stood there awkwardly, "Mum and dad would hate me." She cried into him, this broke him and he put his arms around her and stroked her back, "they would not hate you." He said firmly, "trust me they never could."

He sat her back down on the couch and this time sat on the opposite end instead of standing in front of it.

She looked him in the eye, "I have no place to go, no money, nothing, my boyfriend just left me. I had no where else to go, I'm sorry. It's just when I think off Jess my whole heart fills with sadness and regret, how could I do that, just leave him."

"I don't know, Liz, but I do know this, you can't just come back and just be his mother. He already has a mother. He has a great life. He is so happy."

"But I'm his real mother." Liz said.

Luke took a deep breath, "Liz, you are going to make me angry. Don't say that. Lorelai is his real mother, not only legally, but she is the person who he cry's for, she is the person he feeds him and washes him and who puts him to bed, every night with a bed time story. She is the one who plays with him. She is the one who at 17 years old, with a daughter of her own not only agreed to marry me but asked to adopt Jess. Now Jess loves her and she loves Jess. She is Jess' mother, whether you like it or not."

"But Luke I gave birth to him, that has to mean something."

"Trust me both me and Lorelai are very thankful that you did that, but it's not enough to make you a Mum."

"I want to be in his life Luke, please. Why don't you move to New York?"

"Why the hell would I move to New York?"

"That's were I want to live, that's where I have been living, it's a great life."

"No."

"Then I'm staying around here." Liz said with determination, "are you still living here?" She asked him.

"Not in the apartment anymore, no."

"Can I?"

"I'll have to talk to Lorelai."

"Why? This is your place, it used to be dads place. Why does it matter what she thinks."

"It matter because we are getting married in June and this concerns her just as much as it concerns me." Luke stood up, "I'll be back, stay here, leave, whatever." He walked out.

Luke walked through the diner, checking with josh that they had it for the rest of the day, and then walked home.

When he got home he found Lorelai, Rory and Jess playing on the floor. He went and sat with them, "they ok?" He asked Lorelai pointing at Jess and Rory.

"Yeah they're fine."

"You ok?" He asked looking her in the eyes.

Her eyes tested up a bit but then she took a deep breath and grit her teeth and swallowed and said, "yeah."

"Convincing." Luke said in a sarcastic tone.

"I'll be fine," Lorelai said, "it's just a lot to take in, I wasn't expecting it and I don't know what to do."

"She wants me to go to New York with her, apparently that's where she has been. Of course I said no, but now she is saying that she is going to stay in stars hallow. That shouldn't last long, Liz has never had a long attention span, she is always looking for something exciting."

"She wants to stay?" Lorelai repeated, "where?"

"She doesn't really have anywhere, she can probably crash at old friends houses for a while, but they would all still live with their parents, so that wouldn't last long I don't think. She asked if she could stay in the apartment above the diner."

"What did you say?"

"I said, I'd talk to you."

"Oh."

"You don't want her to do you?"

Lorelai just looked at the teddy bear that was still in her hands.

"I don't particularly want her there either, I'd have to go to the bank everyday when the diner closes, she isn't great about not stealing money. And I like having that space to go to quickly if I'm working with Jess or Rory there, if they need something, or they are just getting grumpy. But it was dads place, and no matter what dad wouldn't have wanted me to kick her out, no matter what she did, dad always forgave her."

"She did a terrible thing, but it did give me my son and for that I will always be grateful," Lorelai said.

"I know."

"If she stays around, what do we tell Jess. He is learning quick. How do we introduce her. She is your sister, but I don't want to just tell him that's his aunt and for it to become a big secret. I don't think he would quite get, that she is his birth mother who is also his fathers sister, but not actually like is father didn't have a baby with his sister, and that she disappeared but now she is back."

"Yeah you're right, I hardly got that. And we don't want to lie to him, that could only back fire. How about we just tell him, that she is my sister and that she gave birth to him and to call her Liz."

"Yeah, and you know he is sat right here."

"He's not listening though, so what do you think, can she stay above the diner."

Lorelai looked to the side, sighed and looked back at Luke, "Yeah, but put a time on it."

"A month?"

"Yeah."

"I'll go tell her." Luke stood up and smiled at Lorelai, "you sure? You won't upset me if you say no."

"I know, give her a month, I'm sure."

"Alright, I'll be back soon."

"Hey Luke?" She called when he was on the other side of the room causing him to turn around, "Do you mind, if just for a little bit, she doesn't come here?"

"Of course not, I'll be quick, I talked to Josh, they're ok without me, and it's still there birthday and Mia gave you the rest of the day."


	8. Chapter 8

The next day, Rory went to the diner with Luke and Jess went to the Inn with Lorelai. At lunch Lorelai went to the diner like she did everyday, she paused outside then took a deep breath and walked in, she didn't know why Liz made her so nervous, she really had nothing to be nervous about. Liz had abandoned Jess and Lorelai had adopted him.

Lorelai entered to see Liz sat at a table, with another girl about her age. Lorelai decided to go to the counter. Luke and Rory were behind the counter. She sat down and kissed Luke quickly in greeting across the counter, "hey, coffee please, I really need it."

Luke got her a cup and poured her coffee, "fine, burger?"

"Please, oh and fries."

Luke walked into the kitchen and placed her order then sat down next to her, "she hasn't left all day, it's really bugging me." He said quietly to her, looking slightly in Liz's direction to see her and her friend both staring at her, "the friend comes and goes, I think she is suppose to be at school."

Liz got up and walked over to them, "Luke can you at least introduce us."

"Not now Liz, not here." Luke said.

"Then come upstairs, please, bring your lunch or something." Liz pleaded.

Luke looked at Lorelai who shrugged, "ok fine, go up, we will come up with the food when it's ready."

Liz left and went up the stairs and Luke turned to Lorelai, "if you want to bail, we can eat down here and just go."

"No it's ok, but just stay with me ok."

"Always." Luke said kissing the top of her head and wrapping is free arm around Lorelai.

"Dada!" Jess said, "dada, play!"

"Ya!" Rory agreed, "mama dada play!"

"Ok," Luke smiled at them, "in a minute, lunch time first, are you hungry?"

"No!" Shouted Jess and Rory said, "foo."

"But Jessie," Lorelai said, "it's lunch time. That means you have to eat."

"Foo?" Jess asked.

"Yeah, mister, food." Luke responded getting up to collect the food, "ready?" He asked Lorelai.

"One minute," she got up and went behind the counter and poured her coffee into a take away cup.

"You aren't allowed back here," Luke said standing behind her.

"Why not, I'm sleeping with the owner." Lorelai winked at Luke.

"Geez! Lorelai..." He said, "people are here."

"Come on then, you go first I'll follow you up." She pushes the small of his back slightly.

They entered to see Liz sitting at the table. Luke spoke up, "they normally have a nap around now, so we will put them down on the bed if you don't mind, we can chat first, ok?" He looked at both his sister and future wife who both nodded.

Luke and Lorelai brought the babies over to the bed and lay them down, put pillows around them so they couldn't roll off the bed, and sat with them until they fell asleep. Once they were asleep they kissed each of them on the head and then went back over to sit with Liz.

"I'm sorry." Liz said looking down at her hands, "I know you love him, I don't want to cause you any harm either of you, it's just, when I first gave birth to him, I couldn't care less, I know don't look at me like that it was terrible but it was true, all I could think about was myself, so I left. But then, we'll Luke you probably don't want to hear this, but my breasts started leaking and every time they did all I could think about was Jess. Then I started noticing every baby or young child I saw in the streets. A couple of month ago, when my boyfriend at the time had left me, I was sat all by myself in this horrible little apartment and I realised, id made the worst mistake of my life, so I cleaned myself up and I came to see him, I didn't think that maybe he was in a family, I knew that Luke would keep him, but I thought it would just be him and Luke. I thought well I hoped really that Luke maybe wasn't doing so well and that I could step in." She said looking down at her hands.

"So you hoped that Jess wasn't having a good life so that you would have a chance how nice. And how could you ever think that Luke wouldn't do everything for that little boy?" Lorelai asked her with an edge to her voice.

"I know it was terrible. I'm sorry. It's just please can I be a part of his life. I was only 16, I was terrified. I didn't know what to do." She pleaded.

"I was 16 when I had Rory," Lorelai said and then her face softened, "I know what it's like to be scared out of your mind, but I never not even for a second thought about leaving Rory. She was my world from the minute I found out about her. I'm sorry but you can't be Jess' mother. I'm Jess' mother, he along with Rory and Luke are my world. I'm not trying to shut you out completely, that wouldn't be fair, you are Luke's sister after all. It's just hard for me."

Luke took Lorelai's hand on the table and smiled at her as he rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand, "Liz, we know that you know what you did was a mistake. But Jess is our son now, ok?"

"Yeah. Are you going to tell him who I really am, or am I just going to be an aunt to him?" She asked them looking sad.

"No, we will tell him, he won't understand right now but we don't want to keep secrets from him. Come on let's eat our food is getting cold."

They ate mainly in silence when the meal was nearly over Lorelai turned to Luke and waved her empty coffee cup at him, "please." She asked him.

"Fine." He sighed, "you ok up here, if I quickly go down and get it?" He took the cup from her and then waited for her response.

"I'll be fine."

"He went to get you coffee?" Liz asked her once Luke was gone.

"Yeah."

"Coffee?"

"Yeah."

"Wow he must love you. He hates people drinking coffee, our dad used to drink loads of it, it didn't help his heart towards the end."

"It's not usually that easy to get him to get me coffee." Jess started to wake up and cry.

Lorelai sprung up and got him, check to make sure that Rory was still asleep and then went back to the table with Jess in her lap.

"Would you..." Liz started to ask.

"Not yet," Lorelai cut her off, "he's not great with others when he has just woken up, it's me or Luke. He'll be awake properly in about 10 minutes, we can talk to him then, when Luke is back."

"He looks like his dad." Liz said.

"Yeah I know, Luke doesn't see it though."

"No not Luke, Jimmy. He looks like Jimmy."

"Oh." Lorelai said, having heard enough about Jimmy from Luke.

Luke came back in and handed Lorelai the cup of coffee.

"Rory still asleep?" He asked as he took his seat.

"Dada!" Jess said extending his arms towards Luke. Luke picked him up and sat him on his lap. Jess started to giggle.

"No, mister, don't do it." Luke said.

Lorelai grinned into her coffee, "He is so doing it."

"Do what?" Liz asked.

"Mama!" Jess then said still giggling as he extended his arms towards Lorelai.

"That." Luke said in a monotone voice. He lifted Jess up in the air and turned him around to face him, "no." Luke said firmly and then settled him back down against him. Jess continued to giggle but appeared to have listened to Luke.

"What was he doing?" Liz asked confused.

"Playing his favourite new game." Luke said dryly.

"He goes mama, dada, mama, dada and makes us pass him between us until we stop, he thinks it's absolutely hilarious, don't you?" Lorelai explained, holding onto Jess' hand and shaking it slightly.

"Is he awake now?" Liz asked.

"Yeah." Lorelai looked into her coffee, then up at Luke and nodded.

"Jess," Luke said getting his attention, "see that girl over there?"

"Mama?" Jess asked pointing at Lorelai.

"Yes, She is a girl, but the other girl, over there." Luke responded pointing at Liz.

Jess looked over at her and then buried his face in Luke's neck. "That girl, is my sister."

"Ror?" Jess asked pointing in the direction of the bed.

"Yes, Rory is your sister, Liz is my sister. I know you don't know what this means but I'm going to tell you anyway, Liz is the girl who gave birth to you."

All three of them looked at Jess and Jess said, "juice?"

Luke smiled, "sure buddy. Lorelai, do you have a sippy cup in your bag?"

Lorelai got up and walked over to her bag and dig out a half filled sippy cup, she drank a little to make sure the juice in it was good and then handed it over to Luke. "Shoot!" She shouted noticing the time, "we have to go!" She said, lifting up Jess and her bag, "we are almost late, sweets, that would not be good now would it?"

"Can't he stay here." Liz asked.

"Not today." Lorelai said as she rushed out after kissing Luke quickly and checking on Rory.

Once she had left Luke and Liz sat in awkward silence. "Aren't you going back to work?" Liz eventually asked him.

"Not yet, I'm going to let Rory sleep, once she is up I'll bring her downstairs."

"I don't get how she is your daughter." Liz looked confused.

"I met Lorelai and Rory at the hospital the day Jess was born. Remember that night, you asked me to raise him out of the blue and I said I needed to take a walk. Well lorelai had given birth to Rory just a few hours before Jess was born, 4:03, and we somehow got chatting. Neither of us knew what we were going to do. We bonded over that. I returned to your room to talk to you and found you gone. The next day, I moved into my house and that night, me and Jess went to pick up Lorelai and Rory, we have been living together ever since." Luke explained with a grin developing on his face, thinking of how they had met.

"Luke that is the kinda thing you would totally have a go at me for. You'd be all like you can't move in with him straight after you met. You never liked me living with any of my boyfriends especially when I didn't know them."

Luke gave her a look, "that's because you weren't even 16, Liz, dad was dying and he wanted you around, you know I told him that you just spent a lot of time in your room, he didn't know that you were moving from boyfriend to boyfriend and house to house. And Lorelai wasn't my girlfriend until 3 months after we met. And you can tell straight from meeting Lorelai that she is a genuine nice person, those guys were jerks."

"I've changed you know." Liz said, "I cleaned myself up before I got back."

"What were you doing, drugs?" Luke asked.

"Well yeah, but not anymore."

"Geez, Liz!" Luke put his hands to the back of his baseball cap.

Chill, big brother, I told you I cleaned myself up."

"You need to get a job."

"Can I work at the diner?"

"No."

"Please."

"No."

"Fine, then where can I work?"

"I dunno Liz, figure it out." Luke stood up and went to sit next to Rory, he started stroking her back knowing that he had to wake her up, because if she slept for too much longer she'd be a nightmare tonight."

She started to wake up and whimper, "hey baby girl." He lifted her up and she snuggled into his chest, "you're alright, it's just time to get up."

"Dada?"

"Yeah baby, that's right, well done!"

"Mama?" She asked lifting her head up slightly.

"No, mamas not her, just me but we will see mama later when we go home, ok?"

"Come on missy, let's go downstairs. Liz stay here, go out, go get a job even, just please don't sit in the diner and stare at me the whole time, it's really annoying."

"I can take your little girl if you want, free up your hands?"

"I think I'm ok thanks." Luke gave her a funny look and then left.

That evening Lorelai came storming through the front door, "Luke!" She yelled.

"In the kitchen, what's wrong?"

She stormed into the kitchen, "how could you not tell me?"

"Tell you what?"

"There are town meeting on a Thursday, every Thursday."

"So?"

"This is the best town ever, we have to go! How could you keep these meeting from me?"

"They are dreadful, it's just Taylor standing at the front, you know the guy who owns the market, worst person ever, going over tiny irrelevant details and then there is some argument that gets so much more dramatic than is needed and half the time there is some sort of role play."

"Oh my god, you are just making it sound better, we have to go tomorrow."

"Can't."

"Why not?"

"No children under 10 allowed."

"What why not?"

"One of Taylor's rules, he takes his rules really seriously. If you really want to go go with that chef friend fo yours." Luke said taking Jess off her and placing him in his high chair ready for dinner.

"Can't, she was only there on a break from culinary school, she's back now." She said taking a seat.

"Please come with me, please please please."

"We can't go, Taylor will never let them stay."

"We can go and see. Please!"

"Fine but we will get kicked out."

"Well that will be fun at the very least." Lorelai grinned.

The next evening at just before 8 they were walking down the street towards miss Patty's dance studio. Luke was pushing their double stroller. They entered the studio and Taylor immediately shouted down, "Luke! What are they doing here? You know they can't be here. You know the rules, no children under 10, they are definitely under 10."

"Ah well we tried." Luke said to Lorelai turning to leave, "Come on let's go to the diner for a bit."

"Wait, Sookie is here, I wonder what she is doing here." Lorelai looked over at her friend.

"Go find out, meet me in the diner when this is over?" Luke asked, Glad he had an excuse for leaving.

"Ok, bye!" She said pecking Luke on the lips and kneeling in front of the stroller to say good by the the babies and then rushing over to Sookie.

"Sookie! What are you doing here, why aren't you in school?" Lorelai took the seat next to her.

"Lorelai! Hi! There was a small fire in school, no ones fault really, so I had a week off so I thought I'd come home, I love a good town meeting, so entertaining." Sookie grinned.

"I've never been before, only found out about them. Luke says he hates them."

Taylor started hitting gavel calling the meeting to a start.

"Ohhhh a gavel!" Lorelai whispered to Sookie.

After the meeting Lorelai and Sookie walked over to the diner grinning.

"Mama!" Rory said when she saw Lorelai.

"Hey sweetie!" Lorelai said lifting her up from her stroller, "remember Sookie?"

"Sook." Rory said pointing at Sookie.

"Yeah! Good job." Lorelai said as she sat down at the table and Sookie sat down with her.

She grabbed onto Luke's arm as he passed, "Can we get fries, and coffee?"

"Fries? But you already had dinner?" Luke asked her as he walked over to the next table to give the people their order and then walked back over to Lorelai, looked around saw it was pretty empty so sat down.

"I know, fries are just a snack, and by the way, town meetings are the best things ever."

Luke shook his head and smiled at her.

"Now go. We need coffee and fries." Lorelai said pushing him up and towards the counter.

Luke came back, with their coffee and fries just in time for Jess to start crying, "what's wrong buddy?" He ask, lifting him out of the pram. He instantly recoiled, "I think I know the problem." He said fishing through the bottom of the pram for the diaper bag and then disappearing up the stairs.

"What's wrong with him?" Liz asked, standing up from where she sat in front of the tv.

"He is fine, I just need to change his diaper." Luke said gruffly.

"Can I do?" Liz asked.

"No."

After Luke was done Jess had calmed down.

"Can I hold him?" Liz asked, looking at Jess.

"Not now, not without Lorelai here, and she is having fun downstairs. Leave her be." Luke warned, "its late anyway, he is tired." Luke added.

"Soon, please!" Liz pleaded as she stared into her brothers eyes.

"I'll speak to Lorelai later. We are both off on Saturday, maybe we can do something." Luke suggested.

"Oh yes! Thankyou!" Liz grinned.

"Hey, I said maybe, no promises. Now I better go, I'll see you tomorrow." Luke said walking towards the door, "have you got a job yet?" He asked, pausing at the door.

"Yes actually, I start at the tills of doose's market on Monday." Liz said with pride.

"Good." Luke smiled and then left.

When Luke and Lorelai got home they put the sleeping one year olds to bed and then crawled into bed themselves, exhausted.

"I spoke to Liz when I went upstairs with Jess." Luke said, "I said to her that maybe we would all do something with her on Saturday. We don't have to I made it clear that we might not."

"No it's ok let's go. Where are we going?"

"No idea, you decide."

Lorelai thought for a minute then grinned, "the zoo!"

"The zoo?"

"Yeah you know with all the animals and stuff."

"In Hartford?"

"Yeah."

"Ok, I'll tell Liz tomorrow. We will have to drive her you know."

"Oh Yeah. She can sit up front with you."

"Oh goodie."


	9. Chapter 9

Friday passed and as it tended to do Saturday turned up.

Bright and early, Lorelai and Luke got into their car. Luke driving with Lorelai sitting in between the two car seats and tell ridiculous stories to make Rory and Jess laugh, as she tickled their stomachs. They pulled up in front of the diner.

"Stay here?" Luke asked her, turning around in his seat, "I'll just be a minute, check make sure everything is ok and get Liz."

"Yeah, well stay here, but do be quick. Oh and get me a coffee."

"But the coffee will make the whole car smell of coffee." Luke complained.

"You work at and run a diner, which sells a lot of coffee, you are used to the smell, now go, I want to get there early." Lorelai patted him on the back.

Luke and Liz returned 5 minutes later.

"Are you excited?" Liz asked Lorelai in an eager tone.

"Oh yes." Lorelai grinned meeting Luke's eye in the mirror.

"Yeah, ummm, lorelai really wants to bring the kids to the zoo." Luke said, still looking at Lorelai in the rear view mirror.

"How's my guy?" Liz asked.

"Liz..." Luke warned.

"No it's ok Luke, Jess is doing great, him and Rory have been working on their walking, Well me and Luke have been working on it really. You know holding their hands, that kinda thing. Got to say though Jess is way more chill than Rory, you should see the concentration on that girls face." Lorelai grinned talking about her children, as Luke pulled off and they hit the road.

40 minutes later they arrived at the zoo. "They still asleep?" Luke asked Lorelai.

"Yeah, let's put them in the stroller and buy our tickets and when we are in we can go get a coffee or something while we wait for them to wake up."

Luke got out and got the double stroller out of the boot. He and gently lifted Rory into it then went round the car and lifted Jess into it. Now that the back seats were empty Lorelai climbed out of the back, through the car seats.

Timing was perfect, Jess and Rory slept just long enough for Lorelai to get a cup of coffee, Liz got a cup of tea and to Lorelai's disgust Luke got an apple.

By lunch they had walked around most of the zoo, Lorelai getting pictures of Jess and Rory with almost every animal, she got as many as possible with Luke and even got a few of all four of them.

They stopped at a small cafe for lunch. Jess and Rory, who were normally getting tired by this time of day, were wide awake thanks to their nap from earlier on. Rory was sitting on Lorelai's lap, contently ignoring everyone as she babbled nonsense and flipped through a picture book that Lorelai had brought in her bag. Jess was zooming a small toy car up and down the table, each time making a zoom sound that was so adorable everyone smiled at him.

After they had ordered but before their food had come Liz cleared her throat, "could I Well could I hold him now?" She asked looking directly at Luke, who was looking at Lorelai who was looking back at Luke.

"Ummmmm, sure." Lorelai said, with slight strain in her voice, although you could tell she was trying to hide it.

Luke handed Jess over to Liz, watching her carefully. Jess didn't seem to sure about his new position and looked up at his parents with wide eyes, "it's ok buddy." Luke said encouragingly and Lorelai smiled and nodded at him.

Liz grinned, "hey, Jess. You are very big, I didn't expect you to be so big. I'm well I'm your," She then looked at Lorelai, "liz, I'm Liz."

Liz continued to hold Jess in her lap and talk to him until a waiter close by dropped a plate startling him and causing him to cry, "mama!" Reaching his arms out towards Lorelai. Lorelai passed Rory over to Luke, where she continued to pretend to read like nothing was happening, and then picked up Jess, "hey, come on, you are ok." She whispered to him, calming him down as he snuggled into her, "Are you getting tired?" She asked him, sending Liz an apologetic smile, "lunch is nearly here, mister and then you can have a nap, ok?"

"No nap." Jess mumbled into her neck.

"Why not?" Lorelai asked him stroking his hair.

"Geeeerafffff." He said, pouting slightly.

Lorelai smiled as Luke laughed slightly and even Liz gave a small smile, "ok, we will go to the giraffes and then go home, you can sleep in the car, ok? Mummy will sit right next to you."

"Ya!" Jess grinned. Lorelai had been telling him and Rory about the tallest animal she could think of that would be in the zoo and Jess had been really excited about it.

They ate their lunch and then went to see the giraffes as promised. On their way out they stopped in the gift shop and Lorelai got Rory a chicken teddy bear and Jess a giraffe.

They got into the car, Jess and Rory holding their new teddies. "What are you going to call them?" Lorelai asked them after they had been buckled in. When she got no response she took that as an invitation to name them herself.

"This one," she pointed at Rorys chicken, "is Colonel Clucker. Hey Rory can you say Colonel Clucker?"

"Seriously?" Luke asked, "Colonel Clucker? There is no way she can say that. I can barely say that."

"Come on Rory, say Colonel Clucker."

"Co cuck." Rory said pointing at the teddy.

"Close," lorelai said, "you'll get it."

"What about the giraffe, Jessie?"

"Geeeeraffff!" Jess grinned holding out the giraffe in his arms.

"Yeah, I think we should call him Lawrence Longlegs." Lorelai decided after a minute of thought.

"Where do you come up with that? Still not an easy name to say." Luke said shaking his head slightly.

"Jess, can you say Lawrence Longlegs, that's what the giraffe is called."

"Lo log." Jess tried in a sleepy voice.

"Go to sleep baby." Lorelai told him.

Time passed, Liz and Lorelai got more comfortable together, Liz got her job at the market but still over above the diner, Luke's birthday happened, his favourite present was definitely his new blue baseball cap from Lorelai, both Jess and Rory were learning new words all the time, and Jess in particular looked like he would walk properly any minute, Luke had bought a truck giving Lorelai the jeep that she loved.

On the 29th of November, Luke sat down on the couch with Lorelai after Jess and Rory were asleep.

"Do you remember last year?" Luke asked her.

"Just any part of it, or a specific date, or just all of it?"

"Tomorrow last year?" Luke readjusted his baseball cap.

"No." Lorelai replied giving him a funny look, "what's wrong with you? You seem tense."

"November 30th was the day my dad died, three years tomorrow. Last year I was a bit off and you asked me if I was ok, I told you that I was just tired and you believed me you know with all the one month old babies around." Luke explained, "so anyway, the year before, I went to my dads old cabin by a lake and I fished all day, just me, my dad used to bring me all the time, Liz would sometimes come but she was never that interested. I wanted to go last year, but couldn't. I was wondering if you wouldn't mind, if I left you all alone all day, with Jess and Rory."

"Sure, tomorrow is Saturday anyway, I'm off." Lorelai said, "if you want to talk about it, at all, you know you can right?"

"I know," Luke smiled at her, "I don't want to though, I'd much rather wallow by myself for a day and then return like nothing happened."

"Very healthy coping mechanism." Lorelai said sarcastically as she learnt back against him.

"I know, thankyou." Luke replied just as sarcastically kissing her on the head.

The next day Lorelai woke up and Luke was gone. She frowned, then sighed realising that he needed to do this and got up to get a shower before the babies got up.

Later on the morning Lorelai was walking around the kitchen speaking to the babies who were in their high chairs at the table eating their breakfast, in a rather messy manor.

"It's weird isn't it?" Lorelai said out loud, not really needing a person to talk to, but thinking it's better if when you talk out loud there are other people there that you can at least pretend to talk to.

"I mean it's just Luke has no one, well not no one obviously, he has us, I mean he doesn't have any parents, and he misses them so much, I can tell he would do nearly anything to talk to them and show them you guys. I feel selfish hating mine. What if they die, Luke didn't know his were gong to die, well he knew his dad was going to die but that's only after he knew his dad was sick, he didn't know his dad was going to get sick. I'll probably regret it if they die and I don't get to speak to them and when I did get to speak to them I chose not too." Lorelai leaned against the counter holding her cup in thought.

"On the one hand I could go visit. On the other hand I would rather die. On my third hand death is what is causing all of these thoughts. And on my fourth and final hand they are my parents so I assume somewhere deep deep inside they love me, like I love you guys. On my surprise fifth hand, if you guys didn't talk to me it would kill me." Lorelai scrunched up her face, "dammit!" She exclaimed, "I am totally going to visit them aren't I? Why do I do it, it almost never ends well?" She asked herself wiping Rory's face and taking away the left overs of her breakfast before repeating the procedure with Jess, "Come on let's get you two dressed, it seems we are going out today."

At 11 o'clock Lorelai pulled up outside her parents house and turned around in her seat to see to very awake babies, "now they probably aren't in, in which case we cheer and run away, ok?" Lorelai asked.

"Ok." Jess nodded with a very serious face on.

Lorelai smiled at him then got out and out the pair of them in their stroller and went to the front door and rang the bell. A maid opened the door, "hello can I help you?" She asked looking confused as to why a woman would randomly turn up with two babies.

"Yes, is Mrs Gilmore in?" Lorelai asked.

"Who is asking?" The maid responded, not sure whether she should be telling this girl anything.

"Her daughter, Lorelai." Lorelai smiled.

"Oh, one moment please." The maid shut the door in Lorelai's face and went into the living room were Emily Gilmore sat, reading a book, "excuse me Mrs Gilmore?" She asked.

"What is it?" Emily asked irritated by the interruption.

"Do you have a daughter named Lorelai?"

Emily turned and stared at her, "Yes, how on Earth did you know that."

"She is at the door."

Emily laughed, "no she isn't."

"She is, should I let her in?"

"Very well," Emily sighed not exactly knowing what to do.

The maid disappeared and went back to the door, which she opened again, to see a confused Lorelai, "Mrs Gilmore is in the living room." She said stepping aside to allow her to enter.

"Thanks." Lorelai nodded at her, confused by the strange greeting she got.

"Hi mom." Lorelai said as she entered the living room.

"Oh my it really is you, why are you here, Lorelai?" Emily set her book down beside her.

"Luke's parents are dead." Lorelai replied.

"What? That's terrible. Is he ok? Why are you here? What happened?" Emily looked at her in shock.

"His Mum got hit by a car when he was 8 I think and his dad died from cancer, three years ago today." Lorelai said sitting down.

"Oh, I thought you meant they died like today, why are you here?"

"He would do anything to see them again, but he can't. He really wants to show Jess and Rory to them but he can't. I have both my parents, it's not fair. He deserves his parents and he can't have them and I have both of my parents and well you know."

Emily's face softened, "Yeah I do know. Where is Luke?"

"He went fishing, he's likes to spend the anniversary of his fathers death alone fishing, his dad used to bring him."

"That's nice, I guess." Emily said and then an awkward silence fell.

"Mama!" Rory shouted from her pram, "play!"

"Hey Mum would it be ok if I let them out, I'll keep an eye on them, they won't break anything I promise."

"Of course Lorelai, Luke doesn't get to introduce them to his mother, why don't you introduce them to yours."

Lorelai smiled at her mother, "thankyou, really, thankyou." She lifted Rory out first and placed on on the sofa next to her and then Jess on her other side. "Hey, guys? This is your grandma, she is mummy's mummy. Mum this is Rory and Jess, as you know but you know introduction and stuff." As Lorelai was speaking Jess climbed off the sofa and started to toddle away, towards the table.

"Oh my god Lorelai, he can walk?" Emily asked, slightly impressed, she even felt a small bit of pride.

"What, Jess? no not yet, but he is trying." Lorelai replied, then she saw Jess and leaned down to sit on the ground next to him, "he can walk!" She grinned looking up at her mother, "I can't wait to tel Luke!" She cheered as Jess reached his destination of the table and then lifted him up and gave him a big kiss and then guys him, "good job buddy!"

Emily, totally caught up in the moment leapt up, "I'll go get my camera." She returned a minute later, still excited, "get him to walk again I want to get a picture." She told Lorelai.

Lorelai put Jess on his feet and then scooted back on her but so that she was a few feet away from him and reached out her arms to him, "Come on, walk over here."

Jess grinned at her and slowly started walking towards her. Emily was going crazy with her camera, "he is doing it!" She kept saying.

The last picture she got was of Jess arriving at Lorelai and falling forwards into her arms with a huge grin on his face.

Lorelai stayed for lunch and after lunch, Emily even read Rory a story when Lorelai said she was getting tired and due her nap. It wasn't a very interesting story, it was an extract from the book she had been reading before Lorelai arrived, so Lorelai was sat in the living room of her mothers house with a sleeping Jess in her arms and Rory lying on the sofa next to her with a smile on her face as her grandmother read her a story and she dropped off. After Rory was asleep Lorelai set Jess gently into the stroller and then put Rory in next to him.

"I better get going, Mum. I don't know what time Luke is coming home at and I'd like to be there when he gets home. Thankyou very much for lunch, it really means a lot." She paused, "and thankyou for treating him like a grandson, I know you don't approve of it, but it means the world to me. I had a really great time, we should do this more often."

"Ofcourse I treated him like a grandson, he is your son after all, even if I didn't approve of the idea, I can see that you did it anyway. Your father and I talked and we came to the conclusion that you Luke Rory and Jess are going to be, or already are a family. If you don't mind, I would like to be a part of that family?" Emily asked her.

Lorelai hugged her mother, surprising her originally and then causing her to smile and hug her daughter back, "thankyou Mum. Wow I haven't said thankyou so often ever I think, but really. And I would love that I really would."

Lorelai turned to leave, "how about Friday nights?" Emily asked her.

"What about them?"

"The four of you can come on a Friday night for dinner, it will be nice." Emily suggested.

"Ok," lorelai grinned, "See you Friday."

Lorelai got home and had barely placed the sleeping babies in their beds when Luke got home.

"Hey!" She said coming down the stairs to greet him, "I didn't expect you back so early."

"Yeah, well I was there, fishing, and I wanted to see you, and Rory and Jess. And I happened to know where all three of you were, so I came home. If you don't mind, I'd like to bring all three of you to my parents grave, are they asleep now?" Luke asked looking at the time.

"That would be nice, they are, but we can go when they wake up, have you eaten anything today? I have a lot to tell you, but I'll leave it until tonight. One thing might present itself though." Lorelai said putting her arms around him.

"I miss them." Luke said with a strained voice as if holding back tears.

"I know." Lorelai said leading him to the couch, "you know, it's ok to cry of you want, it's just me here, and my offer still stands if you want to talk about anything."

"Thanks." Luke said as he kissed the top of the head and tears rolled down his cheek.

Later on, after Lorelai got Luke to eat something and Jess and Rory got up, they all drove to the graveyard. They stood in front of the grave for ten minutes in silence, even Rory and Jess seemed to sense that this was a time for silence. Then Luke placed flowers on their headstone and said, "let's go."

"That's it?" Lorelai asked him, "aren't you suppose to talk to them or something?"

"I am not talking to a stone." Luke said pushing the stroller away.

"Good point." Lorelai replied, walking after him.

That evening just before they were going to put the kids to bed, Lorelai who had been holding Jess a lot, put him down on his feet, "hey Jessie? Do you have something to show daddy?" Luke looked at them confused.

Jess started walking slowly towards Luke and halfway fell on his bum and just sat there looking at him. Luke walked over to him grinning, "well done mister! Did you do this today, I'm sorry I missed it the first time. You are so smart, you know that?" He turned to Lorelai still grinning ear to ear, "when did this happen?"

"Before lunch, at my mothers house actually."

"Your mothers house?"

"Told you I had things to tell you, come on let's get them to bed, walking is very tiring isn't it Jess?"

After the babies were asleep Lorelai told Luke the whole story about how she felt bad that her parents were alive and she didn't even seem to care enough to speak to them, and how she visited and how her and her mum actually got a long.

"So to cut a long story short. My mum said that she accepted that you and Jess are my family, that is big news from Emily Gilmore." Lorelai summed up, "Oh and we are going to their house for dinner on a Friday." She added.

"Every Friday?" Luke asked.

"Can't be certain but I think so."

"Ok."

"Ok? You aren't mad, are you? I should have checked with you first, before signing us up for what is very likely a weekly dinner for ever."

"No I'm not mad," Luke smiled at her, "like you said before, they are your parent, I would give anything to bring you to dinner with my parents but I can't. You however can and you should. Now come on, I'm exhausted, I want to go to bed."

"Ok." Lorelai smiled, "my mum got photos of Jess walking." She said as they walked up the stairs. "Oh and she called him her grandson, which was amazing." Lorelai grinned remembering and Luke smiled, thankful that Lorelai was getting a long with her mother for once.

 **Hi, I would just like to say, thankyou for reading and I really appreciate every comment you give me, when I see an email that I got a review I get really excited, I love reading them!**


	10. Chapter 10

That Friday Luke and Lorelai were getting changed into fancy clothes, as Rory and Jess sat on the bed together, playing with some sort of baby brain teaser. At one stage Jess sat back and looked at it with deep concentration before starting back at trying to crack it.

"You are sure she invited all of us?" Luke asked again, "I don't want to just turn up."

"Yes, for the last time she said the four of us, what other four could she mean?"

Luke thought about it and then said, "she scares me."

"That's kinda her thing." Lorelai straightened his tie and threw the hat from his head to Rory who giggled and put it on Jess.

"Now that's a good look!" Lorelai laughed running to her dresser to grab her camera and snap a photo.

"Do you like my hat Jessie?" Luke asked him taking the hat from his head.

"Hat." Jess pouted pointing at the hat Luke had just taken off him.

"We totally have to get him a mini hat!" Lorelai grinned, "Oh and a flannel shirt, that would be so cute!" She picked up Jess, "Do you want to dress just like daddy?"

"Not happening." Luke said, "we have to go soon we should get them changed." He changed the subject.

"Fine, but I am totally getting him a hat and shirt." Lorelai replied walking out towards Jess' room.

"Lorelai.." Luke moaned, "you can't let him be seen in public like that." He followed her out with Rory, going into Jess' room and handing her Rory, "here. Whatever dress I pick you are going to change it, he's easy."

At six Luke and Lorelai pulled up outside the Gilmore mansion. Originally Emily had suggested seven but Lorelai had decided that Rory and Jess wouldn't deal so well with eating that late. They walked up to the front door, Rory in Lorelai's arms and Jess in Luke's. Lorelai stood in front of the door, after about 30 seconds Luke spoke up.

"I'm pretty sure we have to ring the bell." He gave her a confused look pointing towards the door bell.

"Yes I know." Lorelai replied but didn't move.

"Do you want me to do it?" Luke asked slowly, not sure why she was just standing there.

"Nah, it's ok, Ill do it. Just, you know, preparing myself." She replied pressing the bell.

"It will be fine." Luke said reassuringly, "anyway you said you and your mother got on great when you came last."

Lorelai opened her mouth to reply but then the door was opened by a maid, who invited them inside.

"Mr and Mrs Gilmore are in the living room." She said after she had taken their coats.

"Thankyou." Luke nodded at her.

"Lorelai!" Richard said, seeing them come in, "it's good to see you, you too Luke." Richard got up to get them a drink as they sat down.

"Mum," Lorelai started conversation, "Do you have those pictures from the other day, I really want to show Luke?"

"Yes I do actually," Emily sprung up and went over to a draw, "I got them printed as I wanted to show your father, I got two copies, I thought maybe you would like some too." She handed Lorelai a stack of photos.

"Thanks Mum." Lorelai smiled at her, showing Luke the photos. Jess from Luke's knee also looked at them and in one of them he pointed at himself, "jessss." He said.

"Yeah, that's Jess," Luke said, "that's Jess walking for the very first time." He smiled.

Lorelai continued to flick through them.

"Mama! Rorrrry!" Jess said pointing at one of the photos of Lorelai and Rory, sitting on the very couch they were currently sitting on, both seemed oblivious to the photo being taken.

"I didn't know you took this." Lorelai said to her mum.

"I know." Emily smirked.

"It's a good photo." Luke said as he smiled at Lorelai and continued to flick through the photos.

Lorelai walked out of her parents house a few hours later with a half asleep Rory resting on her shoulder. She was confused, that experience was almost pleasant.

They drove home in a comfortable silence, with the radio playing quietly, allowing Rory and Jess to sleep. When they got home Luke jumped out of the car and went to get Jess. Jess was woken up slightly from the stopping and lifting, "mama," he whimpered slightly.

"Shhhh." Luke said lifting him up, "you're ok, go to sleep."

"Mama!" Jess started to cry and Lorelai rushed round the car to take him from Luke, "I've got him." She smiled at Luke as Jess settled down back to sleep in Lorelais arms.

"He is such a mamas boy." Luke laughed at Lorelai.

"Now there's nothing wrong with that!" Lorelai said as she cuddled him.

They walked up the drive towards the house "geez!" Luke shouted and jumped, miraculously not waking up Rory, "what the hell are you doing here?" He asked Liz who was sitting in front of their front door obviously drunk from the near empty bottle of alcohol in her hand.

"Hey big brother!" She slurred with a grin, "where were you, I've been waiting for ages."

"Waiting, why?" Luke asked her.

Lorelai from behind was shivering as she wrapped her arms around Jess to keep him warm, "let's discuss this inside. It's freezing. It's going to snow tomorrow, I smelt it."

"Right, ok." Luke said still glaring at Liz as he unlocked the door and let them all in, not even commenting on Lorelai's claimed ability to smell snow, every other time she had brought it up he had made a point of saying that she had just got lucky last year.

"Liz we will be right back, just sit down in the living room, ok?" Lorelai asked her as she dragged Luke up the stairs, "Come on," she said to him, "let's at least put them to bed before we deal with whatever that is."

15 minutes later they came downstairs to see Liz on their sofa asleep.

"What do we do?" Lorelai asked uncertainly.

"What is she playing at?" Luke asked angrily.

"Come on babe, let's just leave her, she'll be asleep for the night and probably easier to talk to in the morning, you know less drunk." Lorelai said taking a very angry looking Luke by the arm and leading him to their bedroom.

"She can't do this." He said angrily as he sat in the bed and Lorelai got changed into her pyjamas.

"Relax, it's one time, maybe something happened."

"This is what she was always like, my dad hated it, but even when he was sick she wouldn't stop. She can't do this, I won't let her. If she is going to go out drinking and doing drugs, she can not come back to my house, and she can not see my kids." Luke said stripping to his boxers and getting under the covers, angrily shuffling them about.

"Drugs?" Lorelai asked, "what kinda drugs? She did drugs?"

"Yeah I had to monitor her basically 24/7 when she was pregnant with Jess after I caught her."

"She did drugs while pregnant with Jess?" Lorelai was starting to get just as angry as Luke, "how could she?"

"She's out of the apartment." Luke said, "she has had that job for long enough to have enough money for a place, ofcourse she probably wasted it all, but that's not my problem."

The next morning was Saturday, Luke and Lorelai's day off, they came downstairs with Jess and Rory for breakfast to see Liz sitting at the table drinking coffee.

"Hey!" She said casually turning to face them, "how's my boy?" She asked looking at Jess.

"He's not your boy." Lorelai growled holding onto Jess tighter, luckily he didn't seem to mind and just took it as a sign that she wanted to cuddle and cuddled up close to her. When Liz was around Jess was quite clingy with Lorelai for some reason, a fact that made Lorelai secretly very happy. It wasn't the best kept secret though, Luke had also picked up on it.

"Liz you can't go back to that." Luke said setting Rory in her high chair and getting breakfast for Jess and Rory started as Lorelai sat down in a chair next to Rory with Jess in her lap.

"Go back to what? So what I went to one party, big deal. I'm not even hungover. Stop being so dramatic."

"Liz, no! You cannot come to my family home drunk and god knows what else, I won't allow it." Luke said raising his voice causing Rory to start to cry and causing Luke to look really guilty.

He picked her up, "I'm sorry baby, I didn't mean to scare you, you're ok. Why don't you and mummy and Jess go into the living room while I talk to Liz, hey?" Luke walked out closely followed by Lorelai and Jess. By the time he got there Rory had calmed down.

20 minutes later Luke returned to the living room with breakfast for all of them. "She's going back to New York." He said sitting down next to Lorelai and having Jess climb into his lap.

"When?"

"She just left."

"Just like that?"

"Just like that."

That afternoon at 2 o'clock it snowed just as Lorelai said it would.

"Luke it's snowing!" She squealed clapping her hands.

"I know." Luke smiled at her.

"Come on, we have to go for a walk in it." She said running up stairs and re appearing with two baby snow jackets.

"When did you even get those?" He asked.

"Come on, it's the first snow of the season." She went up to Jess and Rory and grinned at them, "Come on guys, this is one of the best days of the whole year, it's magical!"

They walked around and eventually settled on a bench in the middle of town. Jess was toddling about and Rory was looking at him with great concentration, then she did it, she started walking after him, slower and less sure of herself, but definitely walking.

"Oh my god, Luke, look, she's doing it, and in the first snow of the season too, this really is a magical time!" Lorelai got really excited.

Luke grinned at Rory, "good job, princess!" He said sitting on the snowy ground a few feet from her, giving her a target to aim for, she slowly but surely walked over to him and then fell forward into him, "and in the snow too, now that's impressive, very slippery you know." Luke hugged her then looked at Lorelai. "She is amazing, they are both amazing!" He said.

"I know!" Lorelai grinned at him, "come on let's go to the diner, I need coffee and you look cold."

"I look cold?" He asked smirking standing up.

"Yes you do." She said with a matching smirk on her face.

"How thoughtful of you. Of course you're not cold, no snow is too magical to make you cold."

"You've got it, come on I think you are starting to get really cold."

"Come on crazy lady." He said leading the way towards the diner.

The diner was surprising full and when they entered josh rushed over to Luke, "Oh thank god, I've been trying to phone your house, Leah fell, she's in the hospital with Maggie, they think she broke her arm but they haven't x rayed it yet. I need to go man!" He said in a panic.

"Go! And take tomorrow off, I've got it here." Luke said as josh rushed out the door.

"Right well if you are working, I would like a burger and a coffee, oh and some fries, please." Lorelai said as she sat down at an empty table, then she looked up towards the ceiling, "Do you think she's gone yet?"

"Probably," Luke grumbled, "I'll check later, I'll bring you your food, I've got to go, it's surprising busy in here."

"Wow," lorelai said once Luke had left to the two babies looking at her, "we can all walk now!"

"Walk!" Jess said, Rory then clapped and repeated after him.

"You're both so big, you used to be little, what happened?" She smiled at them, then sat up straighter in her chair and starting playing a game with them to keep them occupied.

The months pasted and soon it was Lorelai's birthday.

That morning she woke up and grinned to herself then turned to Luke beside her and started nudging him awake.

"Hey Luke?" She grinned.

"What?" He grumbled.

"I'm an adult." She grinned at him.

He sat up slightly, still confused from just waking up, "what?"

"I'm an adult. I'm 18 now, sure I can't drink or anything but if I was in the uk I could." She grinned.

"Feel any different?" Luke sat up properly now.

She paused, seemed to really consider it, "more votery."

"Votery?"

"Yes, more votery." She nodded.

"Well I'm sure that feels great." He said sarcastically then got out of bed, he walked around and sat next to her.

"Happy birthday." He said and kissed her on the lips.

"We can get married now." She grinned with his face still close to hers.

"We aren't getting married until June. June third remember." Luke reminded her kissing her again.

"Yeah I know, I just mean I wanted to be 18, I'm 18."

"That you are, come on, it's Friday we still have work, and dinner with your parents tonight, let's get Rory and Jess and go have breakfast." He stood up and headed for the door.

"Wait!" Lorelai said as he reached the door and she got out of bed, "don't I get a present?"

Luke rolled his eyes, "You know you are supposed to be subtle about that kinda thing, you don't ask for presents, and we literally just got up, it's not like I have forgotten to get you a present it's down stairs."

Lorelai squealed and ran for the stairs.

"Oh how very adult of you." Luke called after her, "get Rory before you go down." He added.

She rushed into Rory's room, "hey baby girl, guess what?" She asked her.

"Biff day." Rory said pointing at Lorelai.

"Yeah!" Lorelai said, proud of her daughter, "how did you know?" She asked her walking down the stairs.

"Because you've been telling them about your birthday every chance you got for the last week." Luke said walking down the stairs behind her with Jess.

They got into the kitchen and like she did every morning she put Rory down at the door way of the kitchen and let her walk to her high chair before lifting her up and putting her in the high chair.

"Look, I see a present on the table." Lorelai said to Rory and Jess.

"What did daddy get me?" She asked them.

"No, this present is from me and Rory and Jess." Luke said.

"My mistake." Lorelai said and then turned to Rory and Jess who sat side by side in their high chairs, "you got me a present, how nice! What did you get me."

"Daddy say surprise." Rory said putting her finger to her lip in a shushing signal.

Jess looked at Rory and grinned, "necklasssss!" He said laughing.

Lorelai laughed with him as Luke said, "Jess!"

Lorelai opened her gift and it was indeed a necklace. "Wow, Luke, thanks!" She got up and kissed him on the cheek.

"You like it?" He asked her quietly.

"I love it, put it on me?" She asked, handing it to him and turning around.

"I'm sorry." Luke said.

"What? Why?" Lorelai asked him surprised.

"I'm not very good at buying presents." He blushed slightly.

"No Luke, it's nice, I like it. It's pretty." She said looking at him.

"You're pretty." Luke whispered in her ear causing her to blush and hide her face in his shoulder.

Later on that evening Luke was driving to Friday night dinner when he asked Lorelai, "will there be cake?"

"Where?"

"At your parents, do they do cake and candles and stuff for birthdays."

Lorelai laughed, "of course. Huge cakes, with fancy candles. Hardly ever chocolate cake though."

They arrived and were greeted and brought into the living room where Emily and Richard were.

"Grandpa!" Rory yelled from Lorelais arms stretching out her arms towards him.

"Calm down, sweetie." Lorelai said to her as she laughed slightly and let Rory down so she could run over to her grandpa who picked her up.

"Hi grandpa." Rory said once she was there.

"Why hello Rory." Richard said in a very jolly voice, obviously thrilled by his granddaughter.

Rory then proceeded to try and pull of Richards tie, to everyone's amusement apart from Emily's.

"Richard, don't let her do that, come on everyone sit down."

Everyone sat down and Jess crawled from Luke over to Lorelai and started cuddling himself into her.

"Come on buddy." Lorelai said as she put her arm around him.

Emily noticed this, "what is it Lorelai, is everything ok? Is he sick?" She asked concerned.

"No Mum he is fine, he's just being really clingy, that's all, isn't it Jessie, you just love your mummy." She addressed the last bit to Jess.

Jess nodded his head and said, "love mama."

"Hey buddy," Luke said tapping his back, "What about daddy?"

Jess Luke at Lorelai as if waiting for her to give him a response so Lorelai pretended to think, "what do we think, Jessie?" She then paused to think, "Yeah, he's ok." She nodded.

Jess then turned to Luke and said, "dada ok." Causing everyone including Emily to laugh.

"Lorelai, Luke, I forgot to ask you, how rude of me, would you like anything to drink?" Richard stood up and handed Rory to Luke before walking over to the drinks cart.

"Just a soda." Lorelai said and Luke asked for the same thing.

"Ah but Lorelai, you are 18 now, and in England when you are 18 you can drink, now we aren't in England but we do have a family representative there, in the form of my mother, so what would you like to drink?" He asked with a smirk.

"Ohhhh." Lorelai grinned, "I dunno, surprise me." She said then added, "but you better make it good."

"Luke how about you?" Richard asked.

"I'm ok with the soda, thanks. I'm driving."

"This, Lorelai is a gin martini." Richard handed her her drink and Luke his soda.

Lorelai drunk some and grinned, "This is now my drink, can I have one everything i come here?"

"One, you aren't 21 yet."

"So Lorelai," Emily started, "I'm sure you are dying to know what we got you for your birthday, I'm incredibly surprised you haven't asked us yet, although pleased too as that would be rude. Well, you and Luke never told us where you were going on your honeymoon."

"We aren't going on a honeymoon." Lorelai said not entirely sure how that linked into her birthday present.

"What? Why not? You have to go on a honeymoon, right that's it our present was rubbish anyway, we are giving you a honeymoon." Emily said with a sense of finality in her voice.

"Really it's ok." Luke said awkwardly.

"No it isn't. Why aren't you going on a honeymoon. Well I guess weren't you, because you now are."

Luke and Lorelai looked at each other, "well, Mum, we aren't really swimming in money, so we though we would be better to save any we get, and anyway, we didn't want to leave Rory and Jess, we considered bringing them with us, but we just decided to stick around the house, Mia has given me a week off, that Luke is going to take of as well."

"Perfect you have a week, and you cannot bring two babies with you on your honeymoon, don't be ridiculous."

"Then Mum we can't go."

"Of course you can, we will take them."

"What?" Lorelai asked shocked.

"We are their grandparents, Lorelai." She rolled her eyes, "right then it's settled, I will book you five days on Martha vineyard starting the day after your wedding. I'm sure you can go five days without seeing them."

"Five days?" Lorelai asked.

"Yes." Emily replied.

"No." Lorelai said with a panicked look.

"What do you mean no?" Emily asked her, taken aback slightly.

"I mean no, I'm not leaving them, they're only babies, they'd miss me, I'd miss them, it's not happening."

"Lorelai they will be 20 months old in June, that's almost 2 years old, it's only 5 days, you can leave them just fine. It will hardly be any different than going to work except you won't see them in the evenings."

"We take them with us to work, one each." Lorelai said.

"You're not serious?" Emily asked looking at the pair of them, "you are? Lorelai you can't spend all day everyday with them. Don't they go to some sort of nursery or something?"

"They will do, when they are 2, that's when they start at the local day nursery, they're only babies, they need to be with their parents." Lorelai was now starting to get upset and that caused Jess to get upset.

"No, baby, it's ok." Lorelai said as she stood up and rocked the crying baby in her arms slightly, she started pacing and then just walked out of the room.

Everyone left in the room looked confused. Luke stood up, "I'm going to see where she went." And he walked out after her.

Rory whos eyes had been on Luke since Lorelai had left then started crying, "mama! Dada!"

"Oh for goodness sake!" Emily said as she walked out as well to see Luke with a calm Jess in his arms talking quietly to Lorelai in a reassuring way.

"Lorelai, come with me and Luke go back in there and sort out your daughter." She then grabbed Lorelais arm and dragged her down the hall and into a different room. Leaving Luke standing there with Jess. "Mama?" Jess asked Luke pointing in the direction Emily and Lorelai had gone in, "no idea buddy, and what did she mean sort out Rory?" Luke asked as he went back into the living room and was met by a crying Rory, "ah."

"Dada!" Rory shouted upon seeing Luke and she stretched her arms towards him.

"What's wrong princess?" He asked her as he put Jess down on the sofa and then took her from Richards arms and sat back down next to Jess. "Did you get scared? It's ok, mummy just freaked out a little bit, but she's ok." Luke rocked her.

"Mama?" Rory asked.

"She's ok, she'll be back soon, you'll see."

After she calmed back down Richard picked Jess up and sat him down on his knee as he looked like he was planning a great escape from the sofa, "What was that about, with Lorelai?" Richard asked Luke meeting his eyes.

Luke sighed, "Oh well it's just, Lorelai is terrified of loosing them, especially him, my sister came to town for a while a few months back, she showed up in their birthday actually and it terrified Lorelai, more than she likes to admit. She just freaked out at the thought of leaving them."

In a room down the hall Lorelai sat on another sofa as her mother stood in front of her, "now What was all that about? You were acting absolutely ridiculous. If I didn't know any better I'd think you didn't want to go on honeymoon with your husband. That's it! You don't. Don't you want to get married at all?"

Lorelai burst into tears, "of course I want to get married and go on honeymoon, it's Luke! I just freaked out I don't want to leave them. I don't want to be a bad mother."

Emily's face softened, "you are not a bad mother, Lorelai, you have done great. Not only have you done great with Rory but with Jess too. You took him in because you saw he needed you, that's amazing. You are so young, Lorelai, and you've done so much for both of them. But you have to let go a little bit. They can spend a few days with their grandparents."

Lorelai took a deep breath and wiped her face clear of tears with her hands, "three days."

"Ok, three days." Emily said, she smiled at Lorelai and then pulled her into a hug, "you are doing so well, me and your father are both proud of you." She whispered in her ear and then the two of them walked back to the living room.

When they entered both Rory and Jess shouted out "mama!" Causing Lorelai to smile.

Luke stood up with Rory and handed her to Lorelai, he looked her in the eye and saw that she had been crying, "You ok?" He asked her quietly, standing close so that only she could hear.

She smiled and nodded at him then looked over her shoulder, "go get him and sit next to me, he looks awfully offended." Lorelai gestured at Jess who seemed to be huffing that Lorelai hadn't come straight to him.


	11. Chapter 11

The day of the wedding came and Lorelai was in a room at the independence Inn with Rory, Emily, Sookie, Mia and Maizy. She was fussing over her daughters dress.

"Lorelai she looks fine, we need to get you ready the hair and makeup guy will be here any minute." Emily then fussed over her own daughter causing Mia to grin as she noticed and shared a look with Maizy.

Meanwhile Luke had Jess in his arms as he walked around the Inn greeting guests and making sure everything was ready. It was now 2 hours until the wedding and as many of the guests had booked a room at the inn overnight they were starting to arrive. Luke thought it was ridiculous to book a room, when most of them were from Stars Hallow, but he refrained from saying anything, except quietly to Jess, who nodded his head in agreement, even though he probably didn't understand exactly what Luke was saying.

When Liz arrived she was with a guy and Luke greeted her coldly.

"Big brother," Liz said ignoring Luke's tone and using an annoyingly happy tone anyway, "I would like you to meet my husband Jack." Liz hung of his arm as she said this.

"Your husband?" Luke asked forgetting his attitude for a second in the shock.

"Yes, we got married a month ago, Jack this is my brother, Luke and that in his arms is my son, Jess." Liz introduced them.

"Not your son, don't start that today. If you say another word about it you are out, you will not, and I mean it, you won't say anything like that to Lorelai, in fact you don't get to speak to Lorelai." Luke got angry, "are we clear?" He asked her.

"Fine."

"Lovely to meet you Jack." Luke said sarcastically as he stormed off.

"Dada ok?" Jess asked Luke poking him in the cheek, sending his anger.

Luke smiled at Jess and kissed his cheek, "Yeah I'm ok, don't you worry about me, come on let's get you dressed, then I can get dressed too, yeah?" Luke asked him walking towards the room with their tuxs in it.

"Yeah." Jess nodded seriously.

Once Jess was changed he was sat on the bed while Luke got changed.

"Where Ror?" Jess asked Luke.

"Rory is with Mummy." Luke said as he tucked his shirt into his trousers.

Jess nodded then after a minute look around and then in a panic asked, "where mama?" As tears filled his eyes, noticing that Lorelai wasn't with them.

"Hey, it's ok, Mummy is getting ready, we will see her soon, ok?" Luke picked him up to try and distract him.

"No!" Jess said with a pout, "mama!" He continued to pout.

"Jess, come on now, really soon I promise, come on, let's go see where Josh is." Luke set Jess back down on the bed and quickly did up his tie and grabbed his jacket before picking Jess back up.

After half an hour of Luke trying to keep Jess attention but it still being an hour until the wedding Jess started to cry into Luke's shoulder. Richard approached him, "is everything ok Luke?" He asked signalling towards Jess.

"He wants to see Lorelai." Luke explained to Richard.

'Well I'm going up to see her now, why don't I bring him with me and then when I leave I can bring him back to you?" Richard asked.

Luke thought about it and then sat down and propped Jess up on his knee from where he had had his face buried in Luke's shoulder. Luke ran a hand through Jess' long dark baby hair and then wiped Jess face clear with his thumb.

"Jess? Look at me, you can go see mummy for a little bit if you go with grandpa, ok?" He asked.

Jess looked at Luke, "dada come too?" He asked.

"No, daddy can't see mummy until later."

"Why?" Jess asked.

"Just, do you want to go with grandpa or not?"

Jess considered it and nodded.

"Ok then, you be good for grandpa and for mummy, ok? And when it's time to leave, no tears, ok?"

Jess nodded again and Luke passed him over to Richard who walked off towards where Lorelai and the other girls were.

Richard knocked on the door which was opened by Emily.

"Richard? What are you doing here? With Jess?" She asked him.

"I just wanted to make sure everything was going ok, and well Jess wanted to see Lorelai he was getting a little bit upset so I said I would bring him down here for Luke."

"Ah ok, well come on in then." Emily stepped aside and Richard walked in.

"Mama!" Jess yelled upon seeing Lorelai as he twisted in Richards arms to get free. Richard set him down and he ran over to Lorelai who picked him up and kissed is cheek and hugged him.

"What are you doing here, baby?" She asked him.

"Miss you," Jess said into her shoulder, "Liz come." He added.

Lorelai went over to sit on a chair, this was the first time she had heard Jess talk about Liz.

"Liz came to see you and daddy?" She asked him.

"Ya, dada sad." Jess explained.

"Was he?" Lorelai asked concerned.

"He ok," Jess assured her, "I ask."

Lorelai smiled at him, "that's good."

"What's he saying Lorelai?" Emily asked not entirely understanding him.

"I'll tell you later, ok?" Lorelai asked.

"Ok."

"Hey, Rory?" Lorelai said in a happy voice, changing the subject, "look whose here." She said going over to Sookie who held her daughter.

"Jess!" Rory said excited.

Jess stayed glued to Lorelai's side the whole time and when Richard said he had better get back and Lorelai started to say goodbye his eyes filled with tears.

"Come on, mister, no tears, you're ok. I'll see you really soon, you need to go see daddy now." Lorelai said to him as she kissed his cheek and ran a hand through his hair.

Jess hugged Lorelai and then Lorelai handed him over to her father and thanked him for bringing him. Richard said he would bring Jess back to Luke and then come back up to bring her down.

Once Jess had left and Lorelai had sat down on the bed with Rory in her lap Emily sat next to her and asked her, "what was that about?"

"We will give you a minute." Mia said nodding her head towards the door and her and Sookie and Maizy left.

Lorelai sighed and stroked Rory's head, "whenever Liz comes, Jess gets really clingy. She usually says something or me and Luke get all tense and he can tell."

"Ah." Emily said.

"That's the first time he has talked to me about her. I wasn't 100% sure he even knew by name."

"Just remember he knows her by name and you by mama." Emily said in a surprising comforting way as she put a hand on Lorelais shoulder.

"Thanks Mum." Lorelai smiled at her mother.

There was then a knock on the door. Lorelai walked over and opened it to see her dad and Sookie there.

"Ready Lorelai?" Her dad asked, "everyone is in place." He said as Sookie reached out and took Rory. Lorelai kissed her head and then Sookie and Rory left to take their place at the alter and Lorelais made of honours.

Her mother kissed her cheek, something she doesn't remember the last time she did that and without a word left to, presumably to take her seat. This left just Lorelai and her father.

"I'm ready, dad." Lorelai answered his previous, unanswered question.

As they walked down Lorelai asked him, "was Jess ok?"

"Yeah, he was fine, Luke cheered him up."

"Good." Lorelai smiled as they reached the doors and the music started to play and her father walked her down the aisle towards Luke and Jess and Rory, all three of whom were grinning at her and she was grinning back.

When she got there and Richard kissed her hand and handed her over to Luke, Jess waved at her and she giggle slightly and waved back.

Before Lorelai knew it she was married and kissing her husband. Once she pulled back she whispered, "I love you." To him and received the same response back and then they walked down the aisle together followed by Sookie and Josh and Rory and Jess.

They went outside where the part area was set up including the food. When they got outside everyone started taking their seats and they turned around to Sookie and Josh behind them to take Rory and Jess in their arms. Luke reached out and put a smiling Rory on his hip and Lorelai did the same with Jess and they wrapped their spare arm around each other.

"Hey, Rory? Guess what?" Luke said as they walked towards their seats.

"What?" Rory asked.

"You and your mother have the same name again." Luke grinned at her and then quickly kissed both Lorelai Danes' on the cheek and then kissed the newest Lorelai Danes on the mouth.

They sat down and Lorelai tickled Rory's stomach, "we do don't we Rory? Although I've got to sat Gilmore girls has more of a ring to it than Danes girls, that just doesn't work. Maybe we should ditch them and run off?" Lorelai joked as she leaned against Luke.

"Not a chance." Luke whispered to her and then kissed her quickly again.

Luke and Lorelai stood up and started making their way through the small number of guests, waking table to table and making sure they greeted everyone and thanked them for coming. When they got to the last table, the table Liz and her husband where at Jess hid his face in Lorelais neck. Lorelai stroked his back, "you're ok, Jessie, it's fine." She reassured him. "Who's that Liz is with?" She asked Luke.

"That is Liz's husband, apparently, Jack or Jake, I forgot." Luke explained as they reached the table.

Lorelai looked over at him and smiled, "how could you forget?" She whispered in his ear and he shrugged as they started to speak to the other people at the table.

Finally they had talked to everyone but Liz and her husband, "thanks for coming, Liz." Lorelai said politely as she moved round to stand behind her.

"That's ok," Liz said, "is he ok? Why is he hiding?" Liz asked reaching out and touching Jess leg.

Jess tensed up and Lorelai whispered in his ear to calm him down and walked passed her more to get her to drop the leg, "he's ok, he's just being a bit shy." Lorelai continued to rub his back and kissed the side of his head.

She noticed that Liz looked a bit hurt, but let it go and returned to the head table with Luke and Rory.

"I told her to leave you alone." Luke whispered in her ear apologetically.

"That's ok, she was fine really. Jess told me you talked to her and that you were upset, you ok?" She asked him softly as they sat back down.

"Yeah I'm ok." Luke smiled at he ran his hand through Jess' hair affectionately. Just then the food came out and before they knew it it was time for their first dance as husband and wife.

They gave Jess to a Emily and Rory to Richard as they took to the dance floor. They held each other close. Lorelai kissed the side of Luke's neck a few times as he caressed her back. Half way through the song Lorelai looked over Luke's shoulder towards the head table and whispered to Luke, "Jess is talking to me mother." In surprise.

Luke was surprised so spun them around so he could see for himself, "you are very right, Mrs Danes." He lowered his mouth closer to her ear for the last two words. He then pressed a light kiss to the side of her neck.

"I love the sound of that. Mr and Mrs Danes." She whispered back to him.

"That's us." He smiled to her as the song ended and more people took to the dance floor for the next song. Including Richard and Rory who approached the pair of them and Richard asked to dance with Lorelai so Luke took Rory out of his arms.

"Dada dance?" Rory asked.

"You want to dance with me?" He asked and received a nod, "ok then, princess, let's dance." He swans her around causing her to giggle and his to smile broadly at her.

"I love you sweetie." He told her as she let out a squeal of delight.

"Love you too, dada." She said as she launched herself closer to him in his arms and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

Luke grinned, he looked around the dance floor as he continued to dance with Rory. He saw Lorelai and her dad dancing, Lorelai looked beyond happy and winked at him when she saw him looking at her, he smiled back and then looked around for Jess. He saw Jess dancing with Emily and he appeared to be chatting away. He was rather surprised by that, but very pleased, as Jess would be staying the next three days with his grandparents when he and Lorelai went on their honeymoon.

When the song ended and a new one started both Luke and Rory and Emily and Jess approached Lorelai and Richard. Luke got there first and Lorelai kissed him as she took Rory into her arms. Lorelai was about to ask Luke how his dance with Rory was when Emily got there and Richard asked her to dance so Luke took Jess into his arms.

"Did you like dancing with grandma?" Lorelai asked Jess tickling his tummy slightly to get his attention.

Jess giggled, "ya!"

"I'm glad." She stepped closer to them and kissed Luke again quickly as Sookie and Josh came up to them to take Rory and Jess so they could dance properly.

"Only a few songs." Lorelai said to Sookie, who had Jess, from Luke's arms, Sookie just smiled and walked away.

"You're my husband." Lorelai said to Luke after a while of dancing closely in silence, only exchanging a few kisses.

"I know." Luke smiled.

"And I'm you're wife." Lorelai said.

"I know." Luke replied chuckling slightly, "any particular reason you felt like telling me this?" He asked her.

"I just can't believe it. I'm married. MARRIED." She stressed the word, then paused in her dancing and looked at Luke, "to the best man in the world." She added with a sweet smile.

Luke blushed slightly and pulled her closer.

"Don't blush," Lorelai told him, "people will think I said something dirty." This just made him blush more which just made Lorelai laugh.

After about 5 songs Luke and Lorelai returned to their seats and Jess and Rory where returned to them. After a few minutes of family time, just the four of them, they were interrupted to cut the cake. They left Jess with Emily and Rory with Sookie as they walked over to the beautiful cake that Sookie had made for them. They cut it and then fed each other a piece, Lorelai of course getting it all over Luke's face and then kissing it off, causing most of the guests to laugh and Luke to blush slightly at the attention. The cake was handed out and Luke and Lorelai took a small bit extra each to give to Jess and Rory as they retrieved them, allowing her parents and Sookie to get a piece of cake too. Jess sat on Lorelais knee eating his cake with a huge smile as Rory stood in Luke's lap and played with his face rather than eat the cake.

"Come on Rory, sit down and eat your cake, it's yummy." Lorelai said as she touched her daughters side and Luke lifted her up and spun her around and sat her on his knee and started feeding her her piece of cake.

"Yummy!" She grinned.

"Yeah it is, you're mummy got it all over my face." Luke said stroking Rory's side.

"Oh no!" Rory said, she stopped eating the cake and turned round to face her fathers face and looked confused, "its all gone?" She asked.

"Yeah it is." Lorelai grinned and Luke grinned back as he as she continued to feed Rory her cake.

They were both unaware of the photographer who Mia had hired, who had been following them around all day, taking photos of them together and with the babies, and with other people. They deign even know there was a photographer until Mia came up to them after the cake and said it was time for the official photos. They got photos with all combinations of people possible. They started with just the two of them then did a few individual ones, then added in Rory and Jess then added in Sookie and Josh. They did some with Lorelai's parents with and without Rory and Jess and did some just the girls and some just the guys. After almost 45 minutes the photos were done and they could go back to the party. They only danced once more song and then did the rounds saying goodbye to everyone because they had a flight to catch that evening mad they wanted to get changed and settle Jess and Rory in before they left for it. They finished saying goodbye to Emily and Richard who were going to leave just after them and they thought they had gotten away without saying goodbye to Liz but she approached them on the way out, obviously drunk.

"Hey guys, where you going?" She slurred.

"We're going home to get changed and grab our stuff to catch our flight." Luke said and then put his hand on Lorelais back and started to walk off again.

Liz did not take the hint and walked with them, "you're bringing two babies on your honeymoon?" She asked in disgust.

"No," Luke said, "they're staying at Lorelai's parents."

"Why don't I take them?" Liz asked, as if that would be a good idea.

"They'll be fine at my parents." Lorelai spoke up, "they know them quite well, we've been seeing them a lot recently to get them used to them."

They had reached the car so Luke said, "bye Liz." This time she took the hint and walked back off towards the party that was still going on.

Luke and Lorelai strapped Jess and Rory into their seats in the back and then went to get into the car themselves.

"Not so fast." Luke said as Lorelai reached for the door and he ran around the front of the car towards her, "let me get the door for you." He touched the door handle and then leaned in and kissed her. He then opened the door and helped her in.

"What a gentleman." Lorelai smiled at him and pecked him quickly on the lips again before he closed the door and got in himself.

When they arrived at the house and went up onto the porch Luke whispered in Lorelai's ear, "I'm carrying you through the door."

Lorelai smiled and they stopped and Luke put down Jess who he had been carrying and signalled for Lorelai to do the same with Rory. Luke knelt down in from of them and put a hand on one of their arms each to get their attention, "Hey, guys, can you do something for me? Yeah? Good. Can you go inside and go sit on the sofa until mummy and me come in? We'll be really quick I promise." Luke asked them looking into their eyes. They both nodded but Luke saw some mischief in Jess' eyes so he added, "and Rory, make sure Jess does what he is told." He then opened the door and they both ran into the house and towards the sofa, soon enough giggles were heard from the living room. Luke smiled and then turned to Lorelai and his smile grew he walked over to her and picked her up bridal style causing her to laugh as she swung her arms around his neck.

"I could get used to this," she said, "maybe we should just do this everyday?" She asked him with a smile.

"How about, no." Luke kissed her.

"Ok, but we are doing that everyday and I need a promise on that." She said.

"Do what?" Luke asked confused.

To answer his question she kissed him again.

"Ah yes, ok, you have my promise." He kissed her once more and then started to move. He walked her through the door and into the living room where he saw Jess sitting in the sofa laughing and Rory struggling to get on the sofa in her dress.

Once she saw Luke and Lorelai arrive she started to cry. Luke set Lorelai down on the ground carefully and they both went over to her, "what's wrong, sweets?" Lorelai asked her rubbing her back.

"I try." She pointed towards the sofa where Jess was sitting and looked at Luke, "I promise."

Luke pulled her towards her and hugged her, "hey it's ok, I know you tried, it's just your dress, ok? No one is angry, you didn't do anything wrong." He soothed her and she stopped crying but kept her head on Luke's shoulder.

"Are you tired?" Luke asked her as he stood up with her on his shoulder and Lorelai picked up Jess causing him to giggle and then yaw, and place his head on her shoulder.

Rory nodded into Luke's shoulder, "come on then," Luke said as he walked upstairs, "let's get you changed. Do you want to just wear your pyjamas?" She nodded again, "ok then." Luke walked into her room and Lorelai walked into Jess' and they met back up with two sleepy babies in their own room. They set them down on the bed and then started to get changed themselves.

When Lorelai took off her dress Luke whispered in her ear, from behind her, aware that they weren't alone, "it's not fair I have to see you naked before."

Lorelai turned around, "I'm not naked, I have underwear on, anyway do you not want to see me naked?" She whispered back.

"Of course I do," he put his hand on her hip, "and you know exactly what I mean." He whispered directly into her ear.

She shivered and then pushed him away and turned around and continued to get changed into more comfortable clothes, "Yeah I do." She said.

Once they were changed they grabbed the almost asleep babies and their luggage, both for them and for Jess and Rory and loaded everything in the car to drive to Hartford. The whole way there Lorelai kept turning in her seat to look at Rory and Jess.

"They're asleep." She announced about 5 minutes into the trip she then checked the time and it was a little after 8. She started to chew her bottom lip and continued to look around.

About half way there Luke put his hand on hers, "stop it, they aren't going to change, or even wake up."

Lorelai sighed and sat back into her seat rather dramatically causing Luke to smile.

"I don't want to just leave them asleep," Lorelai explained, "sure it would be easier for them in the moment, they don't have to watch us leave or anything but they will have fallen asleep with us there and will wake up tomorrow with us gone."

"I know, we'll put them to bed when we get there, ok?" Luke asked.

"They're sleeping in my old bed." Lorelai said then added, "in my old room."

"That would be where your bed would be." Luke replied.

"Should we wake them up a little bit when we get there just to say goodbye properly, we have time." Lorelai said after a few more minutes of silence.

"Wake them up?" Luke asked.

"Just a little bit, just to say goodbye." Lorelai clarified.

"That could backfire tremendously and you know it." Luke replied.

After a few more minutes, "but is it worth the risk?" She asked.

Luke sighed, "maybe, let's just think about it ok, we can decide when we are there." Luke put off the decision.

"Yeah, ok." Lorelai then went back to staring at them.

When they arrived they gently lifted them out of the car and went to the front door and knocked. The door was soon opened by Emily.

"Are they asleep?" She whispered loudly, defeating the purpose of whispering in the first place.

"Yes." Luke replied knowing Lorelai wouldn't want to.

"You can bring them upstairs then, I'll get Sarah to get the bags from the car." Emily said.

"Ok but only the blue ones, the other ones are for us." Luke said as he and Lorelai walked towards the stairs.

They lay them down on the bed and miraculously for Lorelai, she didn't have to wake them, they both started to stir. Rory started to cry from the unfamiliar setting. Lorelai picked her up and held her to her chest. Once they were both calm and slightly awake Lorelai started to speak to them.

"This was mummy's old bedroom, when she was a child," she explained, "you guys are going to stay here, just for a little bit, only three days while daddy and me go on holiday, ok?" She asked with tears in her eyes as she leant back against Luke who put his arm around her.

They both looked confused and tired, "when you wake up, mummy and me won't be here, ok? But you don't need to be scared, grandma and grandpa will be here and they will look after you and you will have loads of fun." Luke explained.

"Fun." Rory repeated in a sleepy voice.

"Yeah, baby, fun." Luke smiled at her as he knew if Lorelai spoke now she would cry and that wouldn't help anyone.

Jess still looked confused.

"You ok, Jessie?" He asked him.

"Mama dada, gone?" He asked with wide eyes, all hints of tiredness gone.

Luke sighed, he had caught on, and now it seemed Rory had too because she sat up and yelled "no!"

"Just for a little tiny bit." Luke explained, "we will speak to you on the phone everyday, and we will be back really soon." Rory crawled towards her parents and launched herself at her mother who held her tight and Jess came over to hug Luke. After a few minutes Luke put Jess back down on the bed and put a hand on Lorelai's shoulder, "Come on now, let's go to sleep you two." He said and Lorelai slowly let go of Rory only to see Jess and hug him tightly too. Luke saw Rory looking at him and struggled with the idea of leaving to, he held out his arms, "Come here, sweetie." He picked her up and hugged her tight they lay her down under the covers, with some pillows on the edge of the bed so she couldn't roll out and kissed her forehead, "go to sleep, darling." He said. Then reached out and touched Lorelai's back, "Lorelai." He said gently. She took a deep breath and set Jess down next to Rory. They sat down on the bed and stroked their stomachs as they slowly went to sleep once they were both asleep Luke kissed their heads one last time and stood up and extended his hand to Lorelai who didn't move so he walked around behind her and kissed her neck softly then whispered in her ear, "Come on, we've got to go, we'll phone them in the morning, they'll sleep until then."

Lorelai nodded and kissed them both on the head and then stood up and embraced Luke. A few tears slipping from her eyes.

"Luke..." she said.

"I know." He replied, "but they'll be ok, it's just three days, we'll have fun and they'll have fun, and we can phone them everyday, come on let's go downstairs." He wiped her face clear of tears and then took her hand and led her downstairs.

Downstairs they met Emily and Richard and Lorelai saw the bags she had packed for Rory and Jess and her grip on Luke's hand tightened and fresh tears, which she tried to hold back, sprang to her eyes. "Lorelai..." Emily said seeing her daughter, "you're being ridiculous."

"I know I'm fine." She said wiping her eyes, "it's just hard."

Emily walked over to them and surprised them by giving Lorelai a hug, "I know it is, but everything will be ok, you are only going for three days." She stepped back and then Richard hug his daughter goodbye. Luke and Lorelai then turned for the door but before they did Richard put his hand and Luke's shoulder and handed him an envelope of cash, "for your trip." He said.

Luke looked shocked, "but you already paid for our trip." He said.

"I know, this is just a little something extra, take it." He said.

"Thankyou." Luke said sincerely.

They got to the airport with a little time to spare so Lorelai got Luke to look through the shops with her. They even bought some stuff now that they had more money than they had planned too.

Once they were at their place all thoughts of Rory and Jess went out of their minds until the next morning. They spent that night totally focused on each other. The next morning when they woke up, still basically on top of one another Lorelai said, "apart from the night we met that has to be the best night of my life." In between kissing his chest.

Luke made a sound of agreement and then shifted in the bed so they could repeat what they did last night. It was 10 o'clock before they got out of bed and as Luke went to go make breakfast Lorelai phoned her parents place. Her mother picked up.

"Hello?" She answered the phone.

"Hi Mum."

"Lorelai?"

"Yes, Mum, how is everybody?" Lorelai asked as she walked into the kitchen with the phone to go stand next to Luke.

"Everybody is ok."

"Were they ok when they woke up? They've never woken up without us there before."

"They were a bit confused but we distracted them ok. Jess won't take off that hat you put in his bag. It's far too big he looks ridiculous."

Lorelai laughed, "it's Luke's hat, I sometimes put it on his head."

"You packed my hat for him?" Luke asked and Lorelai nodded.

"Do you think they could speak on the phone?" Lorelai asked her Mum.

"Do you really think that is a good idea? They won't understand." Emily said.

"We promised them, please, just try, if it doesn't work out we don't have to try again." Lorelai pleaded with her Mum.

Emily sighed, "Fine, they're in the study with Richard, he is showing them his books."

"Dad is showing them his books?" Lorelai asked, "you know they're barely over a year and a half old they can't read." She smiled into the phone.

"I know, Lorelai, I don't think they will be reading any of the books." Emily rolled her eyes and walked into the study.

"Lorelai is on the phone." She said to Richard.

"Let me guess, she wants to speak to Rory and Jess." Richard said immediately then added, "they won't understand."

"I know just let her try." Emily then knelt down beside Rory and said to her, "your mummy is on the phone, do you want to speak to her?"

"Mama?" Rory asked getting Jess' attention, "mama?" He asked as well.

"She is just on the phone you can't see her, but you can hear her." Emily tried to explained, she then said down the phone, "I'm going to put Rory on now."

"Hi Rory!" Lorelai cooed down the phone.

"Mama?" Rory asked shocked.

"Yeah baby, I'm just here, on the phone. Are you having a good time?" She asked softly.

"Jess wear dada's hat." Rory said pointing at Jess, "see?" She asked.

"No, baby, I can only hear, does he look like daddy?"

"No, like Jess." Rory said.

"Well, Yes, of course, how silly of me. Do you want to speak to daddy, he's right here?"

"Ya!"

"Ok, I'll talk to you really soon, I'll say goodbye, ok?" Lorelai handed the phone over to Luke and whispered to him, "it's Rory."

"I know." He smiled back and took the phone. "Hi Rory! Are you being good?" Luke asked her.

"Rory a good girl!" Rory said defensively.

"I know, sweetie," Luke chuckled, "I know. You continue to be a good girl for me, ok?"

"Ya," she nodded seriously, "dada?" She asked.

"Yes?"

"Jess wear dada's hat."

"That's ok, I think mummy put it in his bag, did he find it?"

"Ya."

"Me and mummy will be home in two more days, ok? Will you have fun with grandma and grandpa until we get home?"

"Ya, go park." Rory started to move away from the phone and a Emily had to chase after her with it as she continued to move.

"Oh, that's fun. I'm going to give the phone back to mummy now ok, I'm going to burn the breakfast. I love you, be good." Luke said and handed the phone back to Lorelai just in time for her to hear Rory reply, "love you too dada."

"What about me?" She asked.

"Mama?"

"Yeah."

"Love mama."

"That's good, I love you too baby." Lorelai smiled, "I'll speak to you again before you go to bed ok? Give grandma the phone back."

Rory pushed the phone towards Emily, "grandma phone." She said.

Emily took the hint and said, "hello?" Into the phone.

"Hi Mum, could I speak to Jess now?" She asked and Emily then walked over to Jess and held the phone up to his ear.

"Hi Jess." Lorelai smiled causing Jess to jump and spin around, "mama? Where?" He said in a panic.

"No baby, it's ok, I'm on the phone, you can't just hear me not see me."

"Mama, up!" Jess started to get upset and held his arms up. Emily took pity on him and tried to pick him up but he pushed her away, "want mama!" He shouted. Lorelai heard this and she also got upset. "What is it, Lorelai, is everything ok?" Luke asked her.

"It's Jess, he wants me to pick him up." She said in a helpless voice.

"Give me the phone." Luke said softly.

"Hey Jessie," Luke spoke just as softly down the phone, "hey buddy, you're alright, I can hear you, what's wrong?"

"Want you and mama." Jess explained in a sad voice that broke Luke's heart.

"I know you do, we will be back soon, just two days, and you can speak to us just like now, we miss you buddy, and we love you so much, ok? I want you to be good for Grandma and Grandpa they're just trying to help you. Rory is right there and you can wear my hat whenever you want. I promise you that I will wear a hat and that way if you wear that one we can be matching, how about that?"

"Same as dada?" Jess asked intrigued.

"Exactly the same." Luke smiled.

"Ya!" He giggled.

"That's my boy!" Luke said proudly, "I need you to be good, ok? No more tears. Do you want to speak to mama now?"

"Ya, Mama!" Jess said.

"Ok but if you do I want you to be happy, ok? I love you buddy and I will speak to you later, ok?" He handed the phone over to Lorelai.

"Hi Jessie." Lorelai said softly.

"Hi mama!" Jess giggled.

Lorelai also laughed, "That's a good boy. You stay just as happy as that, ok? For me."

"For mama?"

"Yeah, you be happy for me."

"Ok."

"Do you like the hat I packed you?" Lorelai asked him.

"Match dada." Jess told her.

"You do match daddy, that's right." She smiled down the phone to him.

"Are you going to be good?" Lorelai asked him.

"Ya, for mama and dada."

"That's a good boy and if you get sad again just remember we will be back really soon and Rory is right there with you, ok?"

"Rory!" Jess giggled down the phone.

"Yeah Rory! I love you so much mister can you give the phone back to Grandma?"

"No mama stay!" Jess said I'm a panic.

"Hey calm down, I'll phone back before you go to bed, ok. We can say goodnight, Yeah? But for now I need to speak to Grandma, ok?"

Jess nodded and pushed the phone back to Emily.

"Hi Mum," Lorelai said, "let him keep the hat will you?"

"Sure, Lorelai although it does look ridiculous."

"But kinda cute?" Lorelai asked, "make sure it's on backwards." She added.

"Rory already did that." Emily said.

"That's a smart girl."

"Anyway Lorelai we better go, we are going to go to the park today."

"Ok, bye." Lorelai sighed into the phone and then put it down.

"He is fine," Luke said, "they are both ok."

"I know, I just don't like not being able to pick them up when they want to be picked up."

"I know, neither do I, but we are going to have fun too." Luke reminded her.

Lorelai smiled, "what kinda fun?" She asked suggestively.

Luke put his arm around her, "well yes, that kinda fun. But we have other kinds of fun to have too. We can go to the beach, it's quite warm we can go swimming." Luke suggested.

"Let's do that today and then tomorrow we can go shopping!" Lorelai grinned.

Luke kissed her, "absolutely, now go sit down you are going to make me burn the food." He pushed her gently towards the table.


	12. Chapter 12

A few days later Lorelai was giddy with excitement as they drove from the airport to her parents home. It was just before 6 in the evening so they were going to stay for dinner before going back home.

Lorelai was giggling to herself as she read the information packet she had picked up from Martha's Vineyard on their way out.

"You know you are suppose to read that when you arrive, not when you leave, right?" Luke asked her.

"This stuff is hilarious." She replied.

"How its about the island isn't it?"

"They have this history and fun fact section at the back, here.." she started reading out loud, "and what I really want to ask you," she finished and started laughing again, "do you think there is a connection between the shape of lighthouses, ferries, spermaceti, and gay head."

Luke chuckled too, "I'm going to refrain from answering that." He said.

"Just saying it seems a bit too much of a coincidence to me." Lorelai continued to laugh.

Luke put his hand on her leg and smiled at her, "ok crazy lady."

"I can't believe they just put all of this in their information packets. Surely they know that that is what everyone will think of straight away."

"No it's what you thought of straight away." Luke corrected her as he pulled up on the street of her parents.

"Ohhhhhh, we are nearly there!" Lorelai said with excitement.

"You excited?" Luke asked sarcastically.

"Very funny, I know you're excited too." She accused him.

Luke smiled, "yeah I am." He said and pulled up. lorelai jumped out of the car and ran to the door, Luke only just reached the door when it was opened by the maid and Lorelai flew in past the woman who looked shocked.

"Lorelai." Luke sighed then turned to the maid, "sorry about her, she's just excited." He smiled at her and she let him in and took his coat and he walked into the living room to join the others. Lorelai was sitting on the coach with Rory and Jess on either side of her both basically on her knee. He smiled at the sight and went over to sit next to her.

"Dada!" Rory shouted when Luke sat next to her and she launched herself at him like she had done to her mother a minute ago.

Luke daughter her in his arms and hugged him tight.

"Miss me?" He asked her and she nodded into his shoulder and then turned around and plopped herself down in his knee and took hold of his hand with both of hers.

Luke smiled at her and turned to his wife who had Jess in her lap. With his spare hand that Rory wasn't holding he stroked the side of Jess' head, which still held his old cap, which had been replaced by a blue one Lorelai had given to him. "Hi, Jess." He said.

"Hi dada," Jess said, smiling from Lorelai's lap, "we go home?" He asked.

Luke laughed, "not yet, we are going to have dinner and then we'll go home."

"How was you're trip?" Emily asked from the opposite sofa.

"It was great Mum, we had such a great time," she smiled over at Luke, "it's so beautiful there."

"I know," Emily said.

"We get you and dad a bottle of wine from the Vineyard," Lorelai said, "it's in the car, we'll get it before we leave, where is dad anyway?"

"He's just in his study, he got a call he had to take, he should be out soon." Emily explained as she fixed them a drink.

At the dinner table Lorelai sat next to Rory and did everything she could with her food to make Rory laugh.

"Lorelai," Emily sighed again, "will you stop playing with her food, you aren't teaching her any manners behaving like that."

"Sorry Mum." Lorelai said again but it was clear to everyone in the room she didn't really mean it. She did however start feeding Rory properly, a fact Rory wasn't too pleased about but she got over it when Lorelai smiled at her.

Very soon Lorelai obviously got bored at behaving so made faces at Jess from across the table, causing him to erupt in laughter.

"Lorelai..." both Emily and Luke said, causing Lorelai to laugh.

"I'm sorry, I'll stop." She said and continued to smile as she winked at Jess and he laughed again. Luke looked at her and she held her hands up, "Hey don't look at me, I didn't do anything, he is being crazy all on his own."

"I wonder who he takes after." Luke asked dryly as he smirked at Lorelai.

Lorelai pretended to take him seriously, "I know it's a real mystery." This time she winked at Luke causing him to smiled and duck his head slightly and then focus back on Jess.

Later that night as Luke emerged from Jess' bedroom and Lorelai Rory's Luke grinned at her and went over to her and picked her up bridal style. Lorelai squealed slightly and Luke whispered "shhhh." And then kissed her briefly and carried her into their room.

"What are you doing?" She asked him.

"Carrying my wife to our bed." He replied.

"Oh, and what do you plan to do with your wife once you get her to the bed?" Lorelai asked as she grinned at him.

"I dunno," he grinned back and then dropped her down on the bed and leaned over her, "I'll let my wife decide." He whispered and Lorelai pulled him down closer to her and kissed him.

On the last night before they went back to work Luke lay in bed relaxed, with his arm behind his head, watching Lorelai get ready for bed.

"I will never, under any circumstances, no matter how short a dress you put on, go back to Al's Pancake World ever, ever again." He said as his eyes followed her around.

"Aw, you didn't like your manicotti?" Lorelai asked as she got into bed already knowing the answer.

"That was not manicotti, it was square and flat and blue." Luke countered turning off the light.

"Yeah. Manicotti's rarely blue."

The next morning Lorelai came downstairs dressed for work to see Rory and Jess eating breakfast and Luke sitting at the table. She then saw that coffee had been made and smiled.

"Ohhhh, you made me coffee, you really do love me." She said as she half ran towards the coffee and poured herself a cup. Luke watched her and did his best to conceal his smirk.

She nearly drank it but when it came towards her face she accused, "this is decaf."

"What are you talking about?" Luke asked her trying to keep his cover.

"You switched my coffee." She accused as she searched the kitchen for the regular coffee.

"I'm a busy man. I don't have time to sneak around switching your coffee. I have a inner to run, I have shipments to order, I have things to flip and fry. Will you stop that?" Luke knew he had lost, as he followed her around the kitchen. They had now gotten the attention of Jess who had finished his food and was just watching them. Rory however was still very much concentrated on her food.

Lorelai finds the bag under the sink and sings with joy, "ha, haha, hahaha! Under the sink, very clever, but not clever enough, bucko."

"Ok, fine you know what? I give up." Luke sat back down at the table next to Jess who was laughing at how jolly Lorelai was being.

"Woo hoo!" Lorelai cheered.

"Go one day without coffee." Like requested.

"That's not giving up." Lorelai pointed out.

"I'll put a toy in your cereal." Luke offered.

"Dirty." Lorelai countered.

"Geez, Lorelai!" Luke said looking at Rory and Jess.

Lorelai laughed, "chill." Then went over and kissed him.

"I've got to go, goodbye crazy lady." He said standing up and picking up Jess with him, "Come on Jess, you're with me today." He said kissing Lorelai good bye on the lips and Rory on the head. Lorelai then kissed Jess' head and they were off.

"So Rory, you ready to go back to the Inn today." Lorelai sat next to her with her coffee and a pop tart when Rory didn't respond Lorelai looked at her and said, "I don't know what daddy was thinking, that is not what you are wearing." Rory then looked down at her clothes and after a second of thought looked up at her mother and nodded in agreement.

Once breakfast had been eaten and Rory had been changed, Lorelai and Rory casually made their way over to the Inn as they were a little bit early.

When they entered in the chatting away Mia rushed over to them, "thank god, Lorelai, you look presentable."

Lorelai was confused, "I think Ive missed something here, Mia?"

"Oh, no dear, I'm sorry that's not what I meant. I'm sorry, I've just fired the guy who runs the front desk, found out he was stealing from us, anyway I don't have anyone to cover, I'm desperate and I saw you and you are dressed appropriately. Please it's only for one day, I'll pay you the higher rate."

"I've got Rory." Lorelai said.

"That's ok, it's only one day. You are great with the guests, I've seen that. I don't have anyone else." Mia pleaded with her.

"Ok, what do you need me to do?" Lorelai said.

"Oh thankyou." Mia led her behind the desk and showed her how to check people in and out, and how to make reservations, "you'll do fine, I promise, if you need any help I'll be in my office and I will try and come out every now and then to see how you are doing, I've just got a really busy day."

Mia left and Lorelai settled in behind the desk. She felt slightly awkward there and very out of place. On the floor beside her she set Rory up with some toys to play with and some baby books. She was currently quietly babbling away to herself as she pretended to read one of the books to herself. Lorelai smiled down at her and then saw that a guest was making his way towards her. She took a deep breath and prepared to greet the customer.

Later that evening after her shift was over Lorelai rushed over to the diner to meet Luke with a sleeping Rory in her arms.

"Hey!" She grinned as she greeted him with a kiss she then looked around, "where's Jess?" She asked.

"Upstairs, he's asleep so I put him to bed in the old bed up there, I just checked on him."

"Ok, can you spare a few minutes, come upstairs with me, I want to tell you something." Lorelai said still visibly happy.

Luke looked around and saw that it wasn't too busy and that he did have enough help for now, "ok, I'll just finish what I was doing when you got here and let josh know il leg upstairs, I'll meet you up there in a second." He said turning back to the plates he had set on the counter when he saw her enter.

She walked up the stairs and saw Jess asleep on the bed and smiled. She sat on the side of the bed and gently ran her hand through his hair, she then lay Rory down next to him and made sure they were both settled in. Luke walked up behind her without her noticing and sat down beside her causing her to jump slightly.

"Sorry." Luke whispered and he gently kissed her cheek.

"It's ok." She responded then turned to look at him and smiled a huge grin.

"What's got you so happy?" He smiled back at her unable to stop himself.

Lorelai stood up and dragged Luke away from the bed so they could speak without fear of waking up Jess and Rory.

"Today Mia put me on the front desk and she said I did such a good job she is considering putting me up there more often." Lorelai told him.

"Lorelai, that's great! Well done!" He hugged her, "why did she put you on the desk though, just to try you out?"

"No the guy who normally does it during the day got fired, he was stealing from them or something, I don't really know, but she was desperate and apparently I look presentable so she put me on. You should have seen the look on some of the other maids faces. They all hate me and most of them have been there for so much longer than me." Lorelai said with pride.

"You look presentable? I'm glad." Luke joked with her, "but seriously, Lorelai, this is amazing. I am so proud of you. If you get a couple shifts at the front desk, you never know Mia might just promote you. You are really making your way up."

"Let's not get a head of ourselves here," Lorelai said slightly self conscious, "I'm still a maid, I did one shift. It is harder to work the desk with Rory though."

"In a few month they will be two, either way when they are two we have already talked about putting them into the local nursery school during the day. It will be good for them anyway." Luke pointed out.

"Yeah..." Lorelai said looking over at the bed.

"I'm going to pretend that that was convincing," Luke said, "at least for now." He added.

"Do you want some food?" He asked her, changing the subject.

"Yeah, bring it up here, I don't want to leave them up here alone. Bring your food too and theirs we can eat up here together." Lorelai told him.

"Sure." Luke kissed her and then left back downstairs. He returned about 15 minutes later with food for all of them, "should we wake them?" He nodded towards the bed.

"Yeah," Lorelai said, "they won't sleep later on if we don't and they need to eat anyway." She went over and sat next to Jess and woke him up gently as Luke did the same with Rory. Rory was a lot easier to wake up. Once she was alert the mention of dinner was enough to make her forget that she was just asleep. Jess however was never pleased to be woken up and could take nearly an hour to get out of a huff about it. Today seemed to be no different as he clung to Lorelai who carried him towards the table with a pout on his face.

"Come on, Jess, it's dinner time, you can't sleep all day." Lorelai pointed out as she put him down in a chair, he then gave her a look and she picked him back up and set him on her lap. "You can go back to sleep tonight, ok? In fact I enforce it, but for now let's eat dinner ok?"

Jess nodded and reached for his food and Lorelai reached for hers around him. "That's a good boy." She praised him before taking a bite out of her burger.

For a whole week Lorelai worked the desk in the morning while Mia interviewed people for the job, then in the afternoons Lorelai went back o being a maid and the best interview for the job got a trail run in the afternoon. The only problem was that Mia couldn't find anyone that she liked enough to be the face that for the most part represented her Inn.

"Here's a crazy idea," Mia said as she sat in her office with Lorelai and Jess over a week after she had started doing the interviews, "why don't I promote you, I can easily hire a new maid. Your way to good to be a maid anyway, your great at the job, I can trust you."

"But Mia, I'm only 18, I don't even have a high school diploma, I'm hardly promotion material." Lorelai replied, shocked that Mia would even mention such a thing.

"But you're great at it, Lorelai. The Inn could really use a person like you. I'm serious I am making you an offer. Here, if you were to take it you would get weekends off, Saturday and Sunday, I have a girl who does those days, and before you suggest she will only do those days, take the weekend off, talk about it will Luke, tell me on Monday, ok? And Lorelai I'm not joking around here, I would be lucky to have you." Mia said to her sincerely.

Lorelai was beyond shocked and nodded, "Thankyou." She managed to get out.

Mia laughed slightly, "now go home, I'll see you on Monday."

Lorelai stood up deep in thought and walked towards the door.

"And don't forget your son." Mia added.

"Jess, right, yes." She said and turned back and saw Jess asleep on the chair next to her she picked him up gently, "I'm sorry, Jessie, I almost forgot you." She whispered into his hair and then kissed his cheek and waved goodbye to Mia and went home to meet Luke and Rory so they could get ready for dinner with her parents.

When she got home she was disappointed that Luke wasn't already there, but she was a bit earlier than normal. She didn't really know what to do with herself, it's not like she could entertain herself with Jess, he was asleep, although she did think she would have to wake him up soon but it would probably be better to leave him for now. She finally decided to have a shower, which she needed to have before she left anyway. So she set Jess down in her bed and went to have a quick shower. When she returned with wet hair he was still asleep and she heard the door slam close so she leaped with joy and ran down stairs, "Luke!" She said excited when she saw him then saw the look on his face, "what's wrong?" She asked.

"Oh nothing really, just a terrible day." He said, with a sigh, setting Rory on her feet so she could run to her mother for a hug.

"Anything in particular?" Lorelai asked walking towards him and rubbing his shoulder.

Luke hesitated, "Yeah actually, this guy came in, the worst kinda customer, picky loud annoying, you can never do anything right kinda guy. And that, while irritating is ok, I usually get one or two of them a day but this one. He didn't just have a go at me, the diner was busy it was lunch time, Rory was being fussy, she was tired and needed a nap, most reasonably human beings understand that, she's not even two years old. So I had her in my arms when I took their order, i was just taking their order, and this guy has a go at me about her and when I tell him to watch it he starts having a go at her, my not even two year old daughter. She gets upset and I had to kick out my first customer today." He explained.

"That's terrible, he had a problem with Rory? She's ok isn't she?" Lorelai rubbed Rory's back.

"Yeah she's fine after I kicked the guy out I took her upstairs and got her settled it just put me in a bad mood." Luke explained. He then stood up, "I'm going to have a shower, I see you've already had yours, is Jess asleep? We might want to think about waking him up." Luke suggested.

"Yeah you're right," lorelai said looking at the time, "I put him in our bed." She said as she followed Luke up the stairs and he went into the bathroom and her and Rory into their bedroom. She woke Jess up and let him get used to it while she dried her hair.

Once her hair was dry Luke came into the room, "you were all excited when I got home, was it just you'd had to much coffee or was it something?" He asked her.

"It was something." Lorelai grinned.

"I'm sorry." Luke apologised.

"What for?"

"Well you've had a good day and you wanted to tell me and I come and ruin it with my rubbish day."

"Don't be an idiot, I want to hear about your day, good or bad, and there is no way you couldn't not tell me about something like that."

"So What was it? You're good day?"

"Mia offered me a promotion." She grinned.

"A promotion? To the desk?" Luke asked, just as shocked as Lorelai had been.

Lorelai nodded and Luke pulled her towards him into a hug, "Lorelai! That's amazing! Well done!"

"Well I haven't taken it yet, but yeah it's really amazing."

"You haven't taken it? Why not?"

"Well at first it was a huge shock, I mean I'm not qualified and I'm 18 years old. I just didn't expect it or think that i deserved it so she told me to take the weekend off, talk to you and let her know on Monday."

"You do deserve it." Luke said, "you work so hard, you have since day 1, and you've been doing the job all week and I know I'm slightly biased What with being married to you and all that but you've been doing an amazing job as far as I can tell."

"You know it would come with Saturday and Sunday off every week." Lorelai pointed out.

"That's good, give you more time to spend with the kids." Luke pointed out and Lorelai looked over to the bed where they were playing with each other.

"Yeah," she smiled over at them, "we need to get them into some sort of day nursery though, we can't keep bringing them to work with us, it's just not practical."

"We can look into it this weekend, I mean you do have the whole weekend off and I'm definitely off tomorrow and I can see what I can do for Sunday."

"Ok, I'm going to miss them being at work with us." Lorelai said with a sad look.

"So will I," Luke assured her, "but it's time."

"Yeah." She said and then continued to get ready to leave.

On the way there she spent most of her time engaging Jess and Rory in conversation so that neither of them would fall asleep on the way there because she knew her mother did not look kindly on them turning up asleep or grumpy because they have just been woken up. She also convinced Luke not to say anything about her promotion to her parents until next week, when it had been finalised, and especially not to say anything about looking for a nursery because she knew her mother and she would be all over that with terrible suggestions and try and get too involved. Luke agreed with the nursery point but he did think that Lorelai should tell them about the promotion and made her promise to tell them next week.

All through dinner Lorelai was visibly very happy and despite his bad day this rubbed off on Luke too. About half way through the main course Emily put her fork down and turned to Lorelai, "what is it, you've been giddy since you got here."

"It's nothing Mum, just you know I'm in a good mood." Lorelai tried to pass it off but unfortunately for her she was still smiling when she said this.

Emily pursed her lips and continued to eat. A few more minutes had passed when she gasped and dropped her fork, "You're pregnant!" She accused.

"No!" Lorelai said quickly.

"Well then what is it?" Emily asked again.

"Nothing, really Mum, just drop it." Lorelai said, finding it slightly easier not to smile.

Emily narrowed her eyes in Lorelai's direction then turned to Luke who ducked his head slightly, "Fine." She said in a voice that showed that she was not happy.

On the way home Luke said the Lorelai, "you should have just told her the truth you know."

"Not until it actually happens." Lorelai insisted.

"She thinks you're pregnant." Luke pointed out.

"Well I'm not." Lorelai pointed out back.

Luke paused and then asked, almost shyly, "Do you ever want to have more kids?"

Lorelai turned to look at him but he continued to look at the road, "Yeah," she said softly, "but not yet."

Luke glanced over to her and smiled, "when?"

"Well when we do we probably want to get a bigger house, we would have to decide how many we want before changing house because we can't just move house every time we want a kid. I also want to be a bit older you know, and Jess and Rory are still really little. So I don't know really."

"Wanna plan it?" Luke asked her.

"What our life?" Lorelai asked.

"Yeah."

"Ok then." Lorelai said then gasped, "can we please please please have a son called Lucas."

"No."

"Why not?"

"Just no."

"But Rory is called Lorelai."

"Good for her."

Lorelai huffed for a minute then said, "Fine, for now anyway. When would you like to have another kid?"

"Not sure, in a few years I think, like you said we would need a bigger house, which would require more money, and we've still got two babies really a third just seems excessive."

"Excessive?"

"Yes."

"How many?"

"Kids?"

"Yeah how many more kids would you like?"

Luke paused, "you go first."

"Come on Luke, just say what you think, I will have no problem telling you no." Lorelai grinned at him and touched his arm.

"2." He said.

"Yeah ok." Lorelai responded.

"Yeah ok?" He questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"I mean 2 sounds great." Lorelai said, "although slightly impractical for 6 people to get somewhere in a 5 seater car."

After a brief pause Lorelai said, "we could have a boy and a girl."

"I'm not sure we get to decide that." Luke pointed out and Lorelai waved her hand dismissively.

"Any name suggestions?"

"Ever since my mum died when I was a kid I've wanted to have a daughter named Catherine."

"Catherine's nice, I like it, ok what about the boy, if we called him Lucas we could call him Lucas and then it wouldn't be confusing because you would be Luke like Rory is Rory."

"No. My parents called me Lucas their whole life, so do Buddy and Maizy. I didn't like it so I made my friends call me Luke."

"Is that all I am to you?" Lorelai asked with fake dramatics, "a friend who can only call you Luke?"

Luke chuckled slightly, "no you are the love of my life and my wife, who can only call me Luke."

Lorelai giggled, "that rhymed."

"Catherine and Rory, would be named after people, namely me and your mother. Jess isn't name after anyone is he?"

"No, no one in the family is called Jess, knowing Liz she probably named him after some weirdo, but no one Important. His middle name is Lucas though. Ha! We can't use Lucas it's already taken!" Luke said with joy.

"Fine, if we have another son we might not call him Lucas, and that's all you are getting right now." Lorelai said then added, "4 years."

"4 years?" Luke asked.

"That's when I want to have another baby, in 4 years time. We will be settled by then and older and Jess and Rory will be nearly 6." Lorelai explained.

"Ok," Luke grinned and took her hand in his briefly squeezing it, "4 years." He repeated.


	13. Chapter 13

The next day Lorelai went to go speak to Miss Patty, who knew everything about everything in town. Miss Patty was able to get her a meeting at the local day nursery on Monday, so with a mornings work done Lorelai with Jess and Rory went to the diner.

"Hey!" She said in a good mood as she entered the diner she then realised that Luke wasn't in the diner and she was speaking to herself, or Caesar who was there.

"Caesar, where's Luke?"

"Upstairs."

"Why?"

"Dunno, he just said he was going upstairs."

Lorelai frowned, confused, and then shrugged and left the pram down stairs behind the curtain guided Jess and Rory up the stairs into Luke's old apartment.

"Hey." She said as she got there, "what's going on, why are you up here?"

"Huh?" Luke asked coming out of the toilet, "Lorelai? What are you doing here? Is everything ok?"

"Yeah, ofcourse, actually I got a meeting for us Monday afternoon at the nursery, Miss Patty got it. I came into the diner to say hi and you weren't there, Caesar said you where up here, I was confused is all."

"Ah that's good, no I was just going to the bathroom, I don't like the one downstairs for the customers."

"No! Mine!" Jess yelled from across the room at Rory as he tried to snatch a toy out of her hands, causing Rory to cry and hold on tighter to the toy. Lorelai and Luke rushed over and knelt down to their level.

"Hey, hey, hey, what's going on?" Luke asked and Lorelai rubbed Rory's back to calm her down so that she would stop crying.

"Mine!" Jess pointed to the action figure in Rory's arms with a pout on his face.

"Come on Jess, she is just playing with it." Luke tried to reason.

"No!" Jess replied starting to cry himself.

"Can't you share?" Lorelai asked.

"No!" Both Rory and Jess yelled this time.

Lorelai smirked at Luke, finding this slightly amusing and Luke tried to hide his smirk back.

"Now that's not very nice." Lorelai reminded them.

"I am nice mama!" Jess started to cry properly and reached his arms out to Lorelai who picked him up and shot Luke a concerned look, this was quite an extreme reaction.

"I know you are, Jess. Are you tired? You like playing with Rory, remember?" She told him.

"Yes." Jess said as he birdied his head in Lorelai's neck.

"And Rory don't you like playing with Jess?" Lorelai asked her from where she sat in Luke's knee.

"Yes." She nodded.

"Then can't you play together nicely and share?" Lorelai asked them. Rory nodded and Lorelai waited for Jess to respond only to discover that he had fallen asleep.

"Luke, is he ok? It's barely even 11 o'clock, why is he like this? He has fallen asleep?" Lorelai asked concerned.

"He's asleep? Is he warm?"

"No." Lorelai said feeling his forehead and walking him over to the bed and setting him down, "I guess we will speak to him when he wakes up."

"Ok, I've got to get back to work." Luke responded standing up with Rory in his arms and kissing her cheek and handing her to her mother, who's cheek he also kissed.

"Ok, I'm going to stay up here, for a bit if that's ok, me and Rory can watch a movie, what do you say Rory?"

"Princess?" Rory asked with hope.

"Yeah a princess movie." Lorelai replied with a grin, "good choice baby."

Luke kissed her one last time and said, "have fun." Before he left and Lorelai went over to the tv and put on a princess movie for her and Rory to watch. She couldn't fully concentrate on the movie because she kept looking over at Jess but luckily it was a particularly difficult movie to follow and Rory enjoyed it.

Once the movie was over Rory and Lorelai built a large tower with building blocks and Lorelai was trying to convince Rory that it would be fun to knock it down, but Rory didn't want to ruin it when Jess woke up and whimpered, "mama."

Lorelai went over to him and picked him up and brought him back to where she had sat with Rory. Rory showed him the tower but he did seem interested. Lorelai was worried now and stood up and walked to the top of the stairs and shouted, "Luke, can you come up here?"

A second later he stuck his head behind the curtain, "What is it?" He asked her.

"Can you come up here, something is wrong with Jess?" Lorelai asked from the top of the stairs keeping one eye on Rory inside the apartment.

"What's wrong?" Luke jogged up the stairs and met Lorelai and Jess at the top.

"I dunno. That's what I need your help with." Lorelai said retrieving back into the apartment.

"Dada!" Rory said with joy when she saw Luke returned.

"Hi princess," Luke greeted her, "nice tower, are you going to knock it down?" He joked with her.

"No." She said shaking her head.

"That's my girl." He smiled at her, then turned to Lorelai, "what's wrong?"

"He was fine this morning, in the house and then when we went to see miss Patty. As far as I can tell he was fine until he came here and then we'll you know what happened, he freaked out about Rory playing with his toy, something he normally doesn't mind, then out of no where he crashed and slept for nearly two and a half hours and now he is just clinging to my neck." Lorelai continued to rub his back like she had been doing.

Luke walked up to them, "Come here son." He said trying to take Jess into his arms but Jess hung tighter to Lorelai.

"Come on Jess, it's just me, I want to talk to you ok, just over there, mummy will be right here." He said to Jess and Jess then went into his arms and hung on close and Luke walked to the other side of the room and sat down and started taking to Jess quietly.

Lorelai went back to sit with Rory and they talked about her tower, Rory agreed that they could knock it down, but only if they could build another one that would be better.

Once the construction of the second tower was well underway Luke came and sat behind Lorelai, "he thinks he saw Liz." He whispered into her ear.

"Here? In Stars Hallow? Why?" Lorelai turned to face him.

"I dunno, I'm going to go have a look around She if she is about, I doubt it though." Luke said about the get up as he left Jess with Lorelai.

Lorelai grabbed his shirt to keep him from standing, "I hate that she affects him like this, it doesn't even really make sense." She whispered in his ear with large, confused eyes.

"It doesn't, I'll be back in like half an hour, want me to bring lunch for the four of us up here."

"Yeah, if she's here, don't bring her." Lorelai kissed him and let go of his shirt and he stood up and left.

When Luke returned he shook his head and said, "she's not here. I saw crazy Carrie when I was out, Liz's friend, Jess must have just seen her." He then sighed, "I hate that girl, she kept calling me Butch." He sat down next to her and started playing with Rory.

Lorelai sat back and grinned, "wait, two things. One you said you were bringing us lunch and two and I think more importantly, why would she call you Butch?"

Luke blushed and said quickly, "no reason, you know she's crazy."

"Uh huh." Lorelai said then added again still grinning, "Luke, why would she call you Butch?"

"Some idiots when I used to run track called me that, I hated it and I still do."

Lorelai made a sound of pure joy, "butch Danes! Haha!" She started to giggle and then said in a southern accent, "Oh the girls just swooned when butch Danes took the field." Waving her arms about dramatically.

Luke stood up and ran his hand over his cap embarrassed.

"What was your girlfriend called?" Lorelai asked still laughing, "Cissy?"

"As a matter of fact no." Luke said looking at her with a look that begged her to stop. He turned around and walked towards the door going downstairs to get the lunch he promised.

"Oh don't walk away butch," Lorelai kept up the voice and the dramatic waving of her arms, "if I thought you didn't care, I'd die I'd just die!"

Luke turned around when he reached the door and smirked at her and then went downstairs.

When Luke returned they all ate lunch together upstairs, Jess seemed to be fine but Lorelai kept an eye on him the whole way through the meal. Once they had finished eating Luke got up to leave to go back to work.

"Take Rory with you, I'll pick her up on my way through, I want to talk to Jess for a minute." Lorelai told Luke who nodded and picked up Rory spinning her around making her giggle and then setting him on his hip, he winked at Lorelai and ruffled Jess' hair and went downstairs.

Once they were along Lorelai picked up Jess and brought him over to the sofa where she sat down and sat Jess on her knee.

"Jess?" She asked gently to get his attention.

Jess looked up at her and held on to her t-shirt that she was wearing.

"I'm going to talk to you, ok? And can you answer all my questions please?" Lorelai continued to talk gently to him.

He nodded and Lorelai kissed the top of his head, "good boy. Now, can you tell me why you were so scared when you thought you saw Liz?"

Jess tensed slightly and hid his face against Lorelai's chest.

"Come on baby, it's ok, it's just me." Lorelai stroked him back and he sat back up and faced her.

"Liz say she is my mummy, not mama and that you love Ror more than me." Jess explained in a baby voice.

"No." Lorelai's face went pale, "when?"

"When she come."

"It's not true," Lorelai said, "I love you and Rory the same, you are both my babies, ok?"

"She said Ror is real." Jess started to cry and Lorelai hugged him close.

"No Jess, you are both my real children, me and daddy love both of you so much." Lorelai held him close, her mind racing about how much she wanted to kill Liz.

"You are such a smart boy." She whispered to him after a while.

After another half an hour passed Luke and Rory came back up, "You ok in here? I thought you'd be down my now." Luke said.

"No." Lorelai answered his question with a voice full of anger.

"Lorelai? What's wrong?" Luke walked over to them with Rory still on his hip.

"Liz is what is wrong. Liz is always what is wrong. It never really made sense why she affected Jess so much, I mean he is so young he shouldn't think twice about her. She doesn't bother Rory and really she should be the same thing to Jess as she is to Rory at least in his mind. Do you know what? No, in my mind too. But she does affect him, you saw I'm earlier. Well apparently she told him that she was his mummy and that I love Rory more than him. And our smart little boy remembered and understood it all and is now terrified that she is going to take him away." Lorelai stood up with Jess on her hip and stood next to Luke.

"What?" Luke asked still processing everything Lorelai had told him.

Lorelai grabbed Luke's free hand and pulled him over to the sofa and pushed him onto it and set Jess down on his lap next to where Rory sat. She then marched over to the phone and looked through the phone book for the latest phone number of Liz. She dialled and even though she wasn't expecting it Liz picked up.

"Hello?" Liz called down the phone.

"How dare you?" Lorelai said in a low angry voice.

"Who is this?" Liz asked, not seeming overly bothered about the tone or even the message.

"It's Lorelai, your sister in law." Lorelai said bitterly.

"Oh hi!" Liz said brightly obviously forgetting about how Lorelai had started the conversation.

"What the hell is wrong with you? You disgust me! First you abandon Jess which originally made me slightly angry that anyone would do that but now I am more than relieved then you snack in and out of our life for a bit, not caring about anyone but you. And that's annoying but forgivable. Then I find out how horribly you treated Jess when you were pregnant, that I couldn't forgive, how could you?" Lorelai's voice got low, she was conscious of the fact that Jess was in the room and he obviously understood a lot more than he let on. "To too it all off, you tell my son that I'm not his mother and that I love his sister more than him? What is wrong with you? How dare you? It was not your place to say that and it also wasn't at all true. You know he thought he saw you today and he freaked out, so much he ended up asleep, so tired from being scared, I don't want my boy to be that scared ever again. You stay away from all of us, ok?" Lorelai asked pacing.

"I told him not to tell you or Luke about our conversation." Liz said as if that was an excuse.

"Oh my god!" Lorelai yelled down the phone.

"Lorelai." Luke said catching her attention and then looking at Jess and Rory who looked startled by their mother yelling.

"Sorry." Lorelai and then walked into the hallway. The last thing Luke heard her say down the phone was, "no not you!"

Once she got out in the hallway she could yell a little bit more. "How dare you tell my son to keep something from me? He is only a baby!"

"Yeah, my baby!" Liz yelled down the phone.

"No Liz, not your baby. My baby, mine and Luke's. And do you know why he is mine and Luke's baby, because you didn't want him, you didn't love him and I did I still do I always will. I love him so much and you didn't even want him. I guess I should thank you, you being such a careless bitch gave me my son and I guess my husband too, but I'm not going to do that, because you weren't trying to give me nothing you were just being a careless bitch." Lorelai yelled the word bitch at the end.

"I don't want to want him, ok?" Liz asked him, "but I think about him, especially at night, you have to understand I was pregnant with him for nine months and as much as I wished those feelings would just disappear and I guess they did for the first few months I can't help but think about him, even if I don't want to. I wander about him and I have dreams where me and him are happy together and then I wake up and remember that he is happy with you." She said in a strained voice, "you and Luke." She added bitterly.

"I don't know if you think that is a good thing to say. You don't want to want him? That's terrible. And raising children isn't all happy all the time you know. It isn't all happy hugs and kisses. It's hard work, it's sleepless nights sometimes. It's always smiling no matter how you feel, everything always has to be ok. It's dealing with toddler tantrums. It's not all sunshine and roses but do you know what? It's the best thing to ever happen to me. I wouldn't swap it for the world and you will never get that. Leave us alone, never speak to Jess again." Lorelai yelled down the phone and then hung up and walked back into the apartment. Once she got inside she closed the door and then slid down next to the door and put her head in her hand.

"Lorelai?" Luke asked from where he sat with Rory and Jess unable to get up.

"I'm ok." Lorelai said not looking up, "Come home with me." She asked in a small voice.

"Of course." Luke said repositioning Jess so he could stand up with both of them and walked over to her, "let's go."

Lorelai picked herself up from the floor and took Rory from Luke so they could walk home. She ran her hand down Jess' back where he was in Luke's arms.

They walked home in silence with Luke's hand on the base of Lorelai's back. When they got home Lorelai set Rory down after kissing her head. Rory walked away towards some toys that lay next the the sofa. She found herself a book and like she loved to do she sat down with it and babbled away as she pretended to read through it. Lorelai smiled at her and stood near to Luke she stroked Jess' back and whispered to him, "are you ok with Rory for a minute, I just want to speak to daddy in the kitchen, you can come get us if you need too."

Jess nodded so Luke put him down and he walked over to Rory. Luke and Lorelai watched him to make sure he was ok and then Luke put his hand on her back and led her into the kitchen. Once they got there Lorelai's eyes filled with tears and Luke pulled her close against his chest and started stroking her hair.

"Shhhh." Luke whispered, "it's ok, it's all going to be ok."

"I'm sorry." Lorelai said eventually still against Luke's chest.

"What could you possibly be sorry about?" Luke asked kissing the top of her head.

"I yelled at your sister." Lorelai explained, "I called her a bitch."

"That's ok," Luke said with a small chuckle, "she more than deserved it. Come on, let's get back in there."

"Ok." Lorelai replied keeping her arm around Luke's side and leaning on him as she walked back into the living room.

"Hey guys!" Lorelai said as she plastered a smile on her face walking into the living room and sitting down on the floor and pulling Luke down next to her.

A few months later it was Rory and Jess' 2nd birthday. Just like the year before Lorelai's alarm went off at 4am, this time however she dragged Luke out of bed with her and to Rory's room.

Half asleep Luke asked what they were doing.

"I want to be with her at the time of her birth on her birthday and I want you to be with us this time." Lorelai explained as she crept towards Rory's bed where she lay asleep looking at her watch waiting a few minutes until 4:03.

"She's so beautiful." Luke whispered in Lorelai's ear standing behind her and wrapping his arms around her and she leant back against him, "she looks just like you." He added.

Lorelai grinned and turned her head slightly so she could look at him, "what are you implying, Mr Danes?" She whispered.

"What are you inferring, Mrs Danes?" He countered with a small grin of his own.

Lorelai kissed him briefly then checked her watch and lay down next to Rory as Luke sat on the floor next to the bed with his hand in Lorelai's.

"Happy birthday, little girl." Lorelai whispered to Rory, stroking her head so that she would wake up.

"I can't believe how fast you are growing up!" Lorelai whispered to Rory as she sat up and smiled at her mother.

"So, baby, what do you think of your life so far?" Lorelai waited for Rory to respond but she was too tired

"Do you know what I think? I think you are the best daughter anyone could ask for, I think your daddy would agree we me on that one." She continued to stroke her hair as Luke nodded and sat up more to lean over and kiss Rory's head.

"It's so hard to believe that at exactly this time two years ago, I was lying in the hospital, only I had a huge fat stomach and big fat ankles and I was swearing like a sailor on leave and there I was, in labour, and while some have called it the most meaningful experience in your life, to me it was something more akin to doing the splits on a crate of dynamite and I was screaming and swearing and being surrounded as I was by a hundred prominent doctors I just assumed there was an actual use for the cup of ice chips they gave me, there wasn't, but pelting the nurses sure was fun!"

Rory laughed, "fun!" She repeated, just like she had the year before.

"Shhh, we are getting to the part were he sees your head." Lorelai whispered as she stroked the very head she was talking about.

A few minutes later Luke and Lorelai returned to bed, "I take it you are going to do that every year?" Luke said as he got back into bed.

"Yep." Lorelai replied.

"And I'm coming with you?"

"Yep."

"Ok." With that they both went back to sleep.

The next morning Lorelai woke up to an empty bed and frowned slightly and got up. She walked in Rory's room and then Jess', they were both empty so Lorelai figured they must all the downstairs without her.

She walked into the kitchen, "why didn't you wake me?" She asked.

"Happy birthday mummy!" Jess shouted happily.

Lorelai laughed, forgetting about her question, "no baby, you're cute though, it's not my birthday just yours and Rorys." Lorelai explained to him dropping a kiss onto his head.

"Do you know what age you are?" Lorelai asked dropping another kiss on Rory's head and then taking a seat.

"Twoooo!" Rory said excited holding up two fingers.

"That's right, and do you know what it means when you have a birthday?" Lorelai asked them with a grin.

"What?" Rory asked confused.

"Jess?" Lorelai asked, she thought he might know.

"Presents!" Jess shouted lifting his arms up.

"Yep." Luke said setting food on the table, "after we eat though." He sat down with them and Lorelai got up to get herself some coffee.

"Hey Rory?" Lorelai asked getting her attention, "Do you think 2 is old enough to have some coffee."

Rory looked thoughtful and Luke said, "no absolutely not!"

"Why not, Luke?" Lorelai teased with a grin, "She's a big girl now!"

"Yeah! Daddy I'm a big girl!" Rory said outraged, "coffee!"

Luke sighed, "Lorelai why would you do that?"

Lorelai shrugged and grinned, "fun."

Luke rolled his eyes then turned to Rory, "you can't have coffee for at least another decade, ok?"

"But I'm a big girl?" Rory asked confused.

"You are." Luke confirmed, "but not quite big enough."

"Why not?" Rory asked, not letting it go.

Luke knew she wouldn't let it go unless she was distracted so he stood up and picked her up and swung her about causing her to giggle, "if you were big enough I wouldn't be able to do that, sweetie."

"Ok." Rory said accepting the explanation and returning to her food after she was placed back on her seat.

After breakfast they gave Jess and Rory their presents. Then got ready for work. Luke kissed them goodbye and then left for the dinner. Lorelai walked them over to their nursery before heading into the Inn. She had found a good nursery that she liked. At first neither Rory or Jess where happy about staying their all day, but they had made some friends and where now used to it so loved it. The whole way there that morning Jess talked about how him and his friend Daniel would be able to play with the toy cars today because if it's your birthday you get to pick what you play with first.

Lorelai entered the Inn with a smile and Mia saw her, "you're happy today." She commented.

"Yeah, it's Rory and Jess' birthday. Can you believe how big they are?" She asked Mia.

"They're 2, That's hardly old." Mia pointed out.

"That is so old for my babies." Lorelai countered and took her place behind the desk and started talking to a customer.

At quarter to 12 Lorelai took an early lunch and rushed over to the nursery where she picked up Jess and Rory for lunch and rushed over to the diner.

"Come on quick." Lorelai said to Luke loudly as she rushed through the diner and up the stairs.

"What's that about?" Josh asked Luke chuckling slightly.

"My wife is crazy." Luke responded, "you good if I go upstairs for a bit?" Luke asked as he looked around the fairly empty diner.

"Yeah I'm good, go on." Josh pushed Luke lightly towards the curtain and Luke ran up the stairs and into the apartment.

"Well if it isn't Butch Danes." Lorelai said her southern accent back.

Luke groaned, "where did that come from I haven't heard that in months."

"You jogged in here, that reminded me that you used to run track and that reminded me that people used to call you Butch when you did and that made me laugh in my brain and I just thought i would share my laughter with my husband." Lorelai explained.

"Well don't." Luke replied taking a seat next to her and taking Jess onto his lap.

"Hey buddy, it's nearly the time you were born at." He told Jess then added, "I hope your mother realised that she won't be able to do this for much longer, in a few years when you go to school she can't just run over and take you out like she can with nursery." Luke looked at Lorelai who rolled her eyes, "I know." She said.

"Good." Luke said and then focussed back on Jess.

Luke and Lorelai then proceeded to tell Jess and Rory about the day they met, the day they were born.

Half an hour later Luke returned to work and Jess and Rory returned to nursery and Lorelai returned to the Inn.

When Lorelai finished for the day she went straight home, knowing that Luke would already be there having picked Jess and Rory up slightly earlier than normal. When she arrived she smelt something a bit like cake so followed the smell into the kitchen, where she saw Luke baking and Jess and Rory 'helping' him. She smiled at how cute they all looked before kissing each one of their cheeks and taking a seat at the table. Rory seeing more options for herself now that her mother was home abandoned 'helping' her father and instead chose to sit with Lorelai as Luke baked a cake with Jess.

Lorelai was talking to Rory, joking about when Luke asked them if they wanted to help decorate the cake when it was finished.

"Yeah!" Lorelai said. Hearing her mothers excitement Rory repeated exactly what her mother had said in the exact same happy tone.

"Good." Luke grinned setting his hand on top of Rory's head.

He then got the ingredients to make icing and started that as he also got the other decoration he had gotten.

Lorelai started discussing with Jess and Rory what the cake would look like. By the time the cake was ready to be decorated they had ridiculously high expectations that were never going to be met, but they got decorating anyway.

Once they where done it was very clear by looking at it that two two year olds had been involved in decorating it but the two two year olds in question were more than chuffed with their creation. Rory was swinging between excitement of eating the cake and not wanting to ruin it by cutting it and eating it.

That Friday they went to the Gilmore's house for dinner, where Rory and Jess where given more presents. They entered the house and took off their coats and walked into the living room. Before Lorelai could even sit down she heard Rory tell her mother about the cake they had made together. Rory sat down next to Emily and waved her arms around in a dramatic description of the cake. Emily smiled at her, "Yes Rory, that sounds very impressive." Emily agreed with her nodding her head.

"So have you anything planned for their birthday?" Emily asked as they started their meal.

"Yeah, we're having a party at our house, tomorrow at 3, you should come the whole town will be there and a load of their friends from their nursery. It'll be fun." Lorelai responded.

Emily and Richard shared a look, "ok, we'll be there at 3."

"Now," Lorelai grinned, "don't expect anything amazing, it will be pretty low key but the kids will have fun."

"Don't worry Lorelai our expectations aren't high." Emily said.

"Why thankyou Mum," Lorelai pretended to be touched, "I think that is the nicest thing you've said to me all day."

Emily rolled her eyes, "Well you said not to expect anything much and then I say we aren't expecting anything much I'm the bad guy."

"No Mum," Lorelai argues with a smile, "I was just telling you how much I appreciate the lack of expectation."

Emily rolled her eyes and changed the subject.

The next day the house was decorated for a party and Jess and Rory where waking up from a strategically placed nap at 2 o'clock. Just before three o'clock people started arriving. Including Rory's friend Lane and her mother Mrs Kim who was staying to supervise and Jess' friend Daniel and his mother, Shirley, who Lorelai got on well with. At exactly 3 o'clock a jaguar pulled up and out got Emily and Richard Gilmore. When Emily entered and was greeted by Lorelai she looked around.

"Lorelai, why are there so many children here?"

"Well Mum, it's a children's birthday party." Lorelai said slowly in a teasing manor.

Emily rolled her eyes, "I know that, but there is no way Rory and Jess know this many children, where did you find them all."

"Well you know, the streets mainly." Lorelai casually getting another eye roll from her mother, "they go to nursery with them.

"You could have been a bit more selective with your quest list." Emily said looking at some of the people in attendance.

"It's fine Mum, I told you it would be different. Would you like a drink?"

"Yes you did, Yeah we'll have a drink."

"Good, ok." She turned around and found Luke across the room, "Luke!" She said in a slightly raised voice getting his attention and signally for him to come, when he got there she said, "could you get my parents a drink."

"Sure." He said and walked off towards the kitchen.

"You could have done that yourself Lorelai." Richard pointed out, "no need to make the poor boy run around for you."

"True, but it's fun and he doesn't mind."

"I don't mind what?" Luke asked reappearing and handing Emily and Richard their drinks.

Lorelai smirk and leaned towards him and whispered something to him, "Geez Lorelai!" He said going red and looking at her parents causing Lorelai to giggle and her father to splutter slightly, her mother however was struggling to conceal her own giggle behind a shaking of her head.

"Mummy!" Came Rory's call from where she sat across the room with Lane and a few other girls.

"Duty call." Lorelai said walking towards her.

"Yes, darling?" She asked and she crouched in front of her.

"Hi!" Rory giggled.

"Is that it?" Lorelai giggled back, tickling Rory's side.

Rory nodded, "play?" She asked Lorelai pointing towards a game, hungry hippos, that Rory had been playing with Lane and another girl, who Lorelai thought was called Amy.

"Absolutely," Lorelai grinned, "what colour am I?"

"Range."

"Orange, cool!"

An hour later Lorelai and Shirley had found them selves trapped in a corner with Mrs Kim. Mrs Kim had been talking about how the devil was getting into young children's lives when she suddenly asked Lorelai, "so, what is it like to have twins?"

"Twins?" Lorelai asked.

"Yes, Rory and Jess."

"Oh they aren't twins."

"Really?" Asked Shirley, "I just assumed, siblings born on the same day, that really screams twins."

Lorelai paused, she wasn't exactly sure who she should be telling this to, "Well biologically they aren't siblings." Lorelai said, hoping to leave it at that.

"What do you mean?" Asked Mrs Kim.

"Well I didn't meet Luke until the day Rory was born. The day Jess was born too. Biologically Jess in Luke's nephew and Rory is my daughter."

"Oh I didn't know." Shirley said slightly shocked.

"They were born out of wedlock?" Mrs Kim asked.

"Ummm Yeah." Lorelai said, not seeing how that was a huge deal.

Mrs Kim's eyes narrowed at her and she nodded and then walked off.

"She freaks me out." Shirley admitted to Lorelai.

"Oh same, so much, but Rory really seems to get on with her daughter, Lane."

"So tell me more?" Shirley said, curious.

"About what?"

"The mysterious not twins."

"Well there's not much to tell really, me and Luke met at the hospital, I had just had Rory and his sister had just had Jess but she had left him with him, remind me to tell you about Liz sometime, anyway, neither of us really knew what we were doing but we got a long, long sorry short we bought this house together and we lived together, like roommates for a while and then well you can guess what happened, we're married now. After we got engaged, I adopted Jess and Luke Rory."

"Wow, I never realised, I just assumed you and given birth to them both."

Lorelai smiled, "I kinda like that."

"So tell me about this Liz." Shirley prompted.

"Another time." Lorelai shook her head, "I'm going to go see Luke." With that she left going into the kitchen where she had just seen Luke enter.

"Hey." She said.

"Hey." He replied putting his arm around her back and drawing her into a hug.

"You know Mrs Kim and Shirley?"

"Lane and Daniels mums?"

"Yeah."

"What about them."

"They thought Rory and Jess were twins."

"Ha! Well I guess that isn't an unreasonable assumption, they might as well be, they are being raised kinda like twins."

"I guess they are. Anyway, you don't mind that I told them the truth do you."

"No of course not. We agreed we wouldn't hind it."

"Yeah just checking. Well I told Shirley more than I told Mrs Kim, she didn't approve of the whole out of wedlock thing."

"I'm sure you'll get over it." Luke said dryly.

"I'm not sure I ever will." Lorelai said with fake dramatics pretending to wipe away a tear.

Luke smiled at her and was about to respond when Jess came running in, beyond hyper. "Mummy! Daddy! Cake! Cake! Cake!"

"Wow, calm down there mister." Luke said picking Jess up in an attempt to calm him down slightly.

"Do you want cake now?" Lorelai asked as if that wasn't already clear.

"Yeah! Cake! Now!" Jess wriggled in Lukes arms so he put him down before he dropped him.

"Come on then Luke get the cake." Lorelai said returning to the living room with Jess to announce that they were going to sing happy birthday now.


	14. Chapter 14

Later on that evening Jess was asleep on the sofa with cake all around his face and Rory was in Luke's arms with her head on his shoulder. Luke and Lorelai were saying goodbye to the last few guests including Lorelai's parents.

"We'll see you Friday." Emily said softly to Lorelai, being the last to leave, as she gently laid her hand on Rorys back.

Lorelai closed the door for the last time with a sigh, "rather successful, don't you think?" She asked Luke.

"Definitely." Luke smiled at her and put his free arm around her shoulders and guided her to the sofa sitting down next to Jess, with Rory snuggling into his lap.

"They're so old." Lorelai said after a moment exactly.

"They're two years old." Luke pointed out.

"Exactly, So you agree with me." Lorelai grinned at him.

"We haven't even potty trained them yet." Luke pointed out.

"Good point, we should start that soon, maybe next weekend."

"Ok."

"And don't say potty."

"Why not?"

"I hate the word, say toilet or bathroom or something just not potty it's such an ugly word."

"What ever you say crazy lady." Luke kissed the top of her head and leaned back and closed his eyes.

The next weekend came and Lorelai had been out and bought two potty's, one each and a book on how to potty train.

"Hey guys?" Lorelai asked them Saturday morning after Luke had gone to work, "who wants to learn how to go to the toilet like a big girl and boy?" She asked in a happy tone.

"Yeah!" Said Rory and at the same time Jess said, "no."

"What do you mean no, Jess?" Lorelai tried not to laugh, "don't you want to learn to go to the toilet like a big boy, like mummy and daddy do?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"I'm fine."

Lorelai couldn't help but let out a small giggle, "Well can you do it anyway for me?"

Jess considered it, "ok." He sighed.

"Thankyou. Now..."

Later on Luke came home with dinner, "how are we doing?" He asked Lorelai greeting her with a kiss.

"Well ok, I guess. When I told them about it I made it sound all exciting and Rory was all over it, making sure to drink loads but Jess just said he was good how he was. It was so hard not to laugh."

"He's good how he is?"

"Apparently."

"Well I guess it is convenient."

"Maybe for him!"

Luke set up the food as Lorelai got Rory and Jess ready, checking to see if either of them needed to use the bathroom before hand.

Half way through the meal Rory jumped off her chair and ran to Lorelai, "pee pee pee!" She started shouted.

"Ok, quick!" Lorelai rushed her out of the room and into the bath room.

Luke shook his head slightly and turned to Jess, "Jess, you good?"

"Yes."

"You sure?"

"Yes."

"Did you use your nappy?" Luke asked, very aware that this was not dinner talk.

"Yes." Jess answered just as easily as all the other questions.

"Of course you did." Luke stood up and picked Jess up and carried him upstairs to change him.

When he was done he walked back downstairs, after stopping off at the bathroom to wash both his and Jess' hands.

"Jess?" He got his attention as he started down the stairs, "you have to try ok, just like Rory is?"

"Why?"

"Because you have to learn. You want to be a big boy don't you?"

"Jess is a big boy!" Jess insisted.

"Yes I know, but big boys don't use nappy's, they go to the toilet." Luke pointed out reaching the bottom on the stairs.

"No." Jess argued.

"Yes, Jess."

"No." Jess insisted.

"Why not?" Luke asked him.

"Jess is a big boy. Jess no use toilet."

"Then maybe Jess isn't a big boy." Luke said.

"No daddy!" Tears sprung to Jess' eyes and he hit Luke on his shoulder as they returned to the kitchen to see Lorelai and Rory back.

"What's wrong?" Lorelai asked.

"Daddy say Jess not a big boy. Jess is a big boy. I not a baby!" He held his arms out to Lorelai and Lorelai took him. Luke rolled his eyes at the irony.

"Jess all I said was that to be a proper big boy you have to use the toilet like a big boy."

"Daddy is right Jessie." Lorelai said as she put Jess back into his seat and Jess crossed his arms and huffed.

"Come on now Jess." Luke warned but Jess ignored him and continued to sit with a pout and crossed arms.

Rory was sitting there eating her dinner. Luke saw her put her hand in her mouth at one stage, "you cleaned your hands didn't you Rory?"

"With soap!" Rory said with pride.

"Good girl." Luke smiled at her and continued to eat his food.

After dinner Lorelai walked into the living room and said she was going to put Bob the Builder on, Jess instantly forgot about his huff and ran through to watch his favourite show, Rory followed at a rushed but more controlled pace. After it was turned on Lorelai left them to go back to Luke and help him clean up.

"Where did you go with Jess?" She asked, drying the dishes he washed as they didn't have a dishwasher.

"I had to go change him, he is not pleased about this whole toilet thing."

"He's so lazy." Lorelai laughed slightly.

"You know the way it annoys you when people use the word Potty..."

"Don't say that word." Lorelai cut in.

Luke rolled his eyes, "Well toilet is just inaccurate. They aren't going to the toilet not really they are using a potty."

"Don't care. It's a terrible word. Like about 2 weeks ago when I was picking them up from nursery there was this really annoying Mum who kept asking her kid, 'Timmy, do you need to go Potty'" Lorelai emphasised the word potty and shivered, "I hate it. Like can't they just say toilet or bathroom or something or if for some idiotic reason they insist on say if the word they could at least ask if they need to use the potty not go potty." Lorelai ranted as she continued to dry dishes.

Luke chuckled at how enthusiastic his wife was about this, "it's hardly that big a deal."

"Mrs Kim would never use the word potty." Lorelai pointed out as if that proved something.

"Ah yes I forgot about your new life goal to be just like Mrs Kim the strict Christian Korean lady."

"Shut up." Lorelai shot Luke a smirk and he shot one back handing her the last dish.

Soon it was Luke's 21st birthday. In the morning when he was still asleep Lorelai slowly crept out of bed being careful not to wake him. She first went into Rory's room and stroked the hair away from her face making her wake up. When she did Lorelai whispered, "shhhhh." And picked her up and carried her into Jess' room where she sat her on the floor and woke up Jess and sat him next to Rory.

The two toddlers sat on the floor looking at Lorelai confused as she sat in front of them. "It's daddy's birthday." She told them, "he is 21. When we go in there we are going to sing happy birthday, ok?" Lorelai made sure they both nodded and started to teach them to sing happy birthday.

After 4 try's Lorelai decided that they knew it well enough and got up to leave but Luke stepped in the doorway and grinned.

"Very good singing." He said.

"You were supposed to be in bed asleep." Lorelai told him walking over to him and kissing him, "happy birthday!" She said.

"Happy birthday daddy!" Rory shouted from where she still sat on the floor, Jess sat next to her totally uninterested playing with a toy digger.

"Thank you princess!" Luke walked over to her and picked her up and kissed her on her cheek, "Come on," he said, "who wants breakfast?"

Later that evening at seven Luke sat on the sofa with Jess, trying to calm him down so that he could get him ready for bed, when there was a knock on the door.

"I'll get it." Lorelai ran through with Rory on her hip from the kitchen towards the door.

"Hi." she greeted Josh quietly who she knew would be there.

"The diner is closed, the guys will be arriving in about half an hour." Josh said.

"Good good, I haven't told him yet come in, could you mind the kids while I help him get ready, they shouldn't be too hyper, they e had an exciting day they should be tired, I'll put something on tv."

"Sure." Josh said following Lorelai into the living room.

"Luke." Lorelai got his attention, "Josh is going to watch the kids for a minute while we go upstairs."

Luke looked shocked, "Lorelai! Seriously, no!"

"What?" Lorelai looked confused then realised, "no! God Luke! Not to do THAT! Jesus, just come with me." Lorelai shook her head and set Rory on the couch and went upstairs.

Luke looked over at Josh who just grinned at him, he sat Jess down next to Rory shot Josh one last look and then shrugged and followed Lorelai up. He walked into their bedroom and opened his mouth to speak when Lorelai grabbed him and started kissing him.

"I thought you said this wasn't that." Luke said confused.

"It's not." Lorelai giggled and rested her head against that, "although that's not a bad idea, I only wish I'd had it. No we are here to get you ready."

"Ready? What for?" Luke sat on the edge of the bed.

"It's your 21st birthday, you have to go out to a club or a bar or something, it's the law. The diner is shut for the night, Josh has got your old school friends down. You, my man, are going out tonight and leaving your port old wife behind." Lorelai added the last bit in a fake sad town with a shake of her head.

Luke grabbed her by the waists and slowly pulled her towards him with a lopsided grin, "How ever will she survive?" He asked.

"No one knows if she will." Lorelai responded also grinning, she almost kissed him then pushed herself away from his body and said, "right come on, you need to get changed, you can't wear a flannel and a baseball cap."

"No even if I turn it the right way around?" Luke asked turning around his cap and grinning at her from underneath it.

"That just looks wrong." Lorelai said flipping the cap off and going through his wardrobe, she started pulling clothes out of the wardrobe and looked at him, "Come on, take those clothes off."

"How romantic." He said sarcastically taking off his shirt.

Ten minutes later they returned back down stairs to see Rory and Jess laughing at something Josh was saying.

"Take him away," Lorelai said reaching the bottom of the stairs just behind Luke, "look after him and return him in one piece."

"Will do." Said josh getting up and heading for the door.

"You sure you don't mind me going, I can stay it's really no big deal?" Luke asked Lorelai one last time.

"Luke seriously, it was my idea, go have fun, I'll be just fine by myself for one evening, Sookie is in town, she's coming over at 8 I'm sure I'll manage for the next 40 minutes."

"Ok." Luke smiled and kissed her and walked to the door turning around when he got there he added, "and I don't need looked after."

Lorelai smiled, "go."

"Ok, bye." With that Luke and Josh were off to meet the others at the diner.

"Come on guys, time for bed." Lorelai said turning to the toddlers on the sofa.

"No! Mummy, I'm not tired!" Jess said through a yawn.

"I know baby," Lorelai smiled at him, "but you have to go to sleep anyway." She picked up Rory, who was nearly asleep on the couch next to him and patted Jess with her other hand to get him to move and go upstairs. She let Jess go into his room to play with a toy while she put Rory to bed. By the time she got into Jess' room to put him to bed he was asleep on the floor surrounded by his toys. Lorelai smiled at him and went over and gently picked him up and tucked him in. Tidying up his toys before going downstairs to wait for Sookie.

Sookie arrived just before 8 and was greeted by Lorelai at the door. "Is Luke gone already?" She asked walking into the living room noticing it was empty.

"Yeah, they went just over half an hour ago," Lorelai explained, "why?" She asked with a grin, "planing to steal him away from me?"

"No!" Sookie giggled, "just wandering. Where are Rory and Jess?"

"Asleep it's just us." Lorelai said sitting down with a lot of snacks in front of them.

"I'll be 21 next year," Sookie said, "I feel old, I'll be finished culinary school soon enough, then I'll be a proper chef."

"You are a proper chef." Lorelai pointed out.

"Well yeah but like a proper proper chef."

"And if hardly describe 21 or 20 for that matter as old." Lorelai pointed out.

"Pretty old," Sookie countered, "I remember when I was in school, Luke was the year above me, then we were young."

"Sookie, That was only a few years ago." Lorelai grinned then realised, "you went to school with Luke! Tell me everything!" She jumped on the sofa in her seat slightly so that she was facing Sookie better.

Sookie totally forgot about her I'm getting old crisis, "Well I didn't know him that well, I mean I was the year below him and everything, I more knew off him. You know Butch star athlete kinda thing."

"Ha! Butch! That still makes me laugh!" Lorelai said giggling slightly.

"Everyone called him that for ages after he went to the state champions. I think the only people who still called him Luke where Liz and Rachel, even the teachers talked about Butch sometimes!"

"Rachel, huh?" Lorelai picked up on that.

Sookie cringed slightly, "Well yeah, you do know about Rachel right?"

"Yeah I know about Rachel." Lorelai repeated.

"Come on!" Sookie said feeling slightly awkward, "let's talk about something more upbeat... like how ridiculous the track uniform was, have you ever seen it?"

"Not on," Lorelai shook her head then grinned, "but I did see it in a wardrobe above the diner and I can only imagine, I tried to get Luke to try it on, but he wouldn't. Not even when he is going out for a run, he'll just wear tracksuit bottoms, where is the fun in that?"

"You need to get a picture, you'll love it!" Sookie said.

"So?" Lorelai asked, "we've talked about my man, any men in your life?" Lorelai asked with a raised eyebrow and a suggestive smirk.

Sookie blushed and ducked her head slightly, "not really, I've been with a few guys at school, but nothing really sticks."

"You've been with a few guys? Like been with been with?" Lorelai asked shocked.

"Yeah." Sookie blushed.

"Sookie!" Lorelai shrieked slightly then remembered the two sleeping toddlers upstairs and paused fro a minute to hear out for a cry, once she was in the clear she repeated her previous comment but quieter, "none of them were serious?" She asked.

"Well no. It was just college hookups, you know?" Sookie asked.

"Ummm no, not really," Lorelai said, "just random hookups?"

"Well yeah, you know for experience."

"Wow, your life is a lot more interesting than I thought it was, you need to tell me more!"

At half twelve Lorelai sat on the couch by herself waiting for Luke to return. She heard keys trying to go into the lock so got up to help him.

"Hey." She said opening the door, she smiled at him as he swayed slightly.

"Hey." He responded, stumbling in towards the sofa where he sat down.

Lorelai sat down next to him and he handed her on of the two beers he had in his hands keeping in for himself, "here." He said.

Lorelai took the beer and asked, "what is this for?"

"I wanted to have a beer with my wife on my 21st birthday, and as you couldn't come out with me I thought I would bring a beer back for you." He explained.

"You're sweet," Lorelai kisses him, "and drunk." She added before taking a swing of the beer.

Once they where half way through their beers, Lorelai leaning against Luke's back she said, "you know Sookie told me a bit about what you were like in school Butch."

"Oh god." Luke said, "that's not the first time I've heard that name. Some of the guys still call me that. I hated it."

"I know. She told me about your track uniform. And I know you said no before but I'm sorry to say I just have to see you in it."

"No."

"Come on Luke, I'm your wife, nothing to be embarrassed about, it can't be that bad."

"No."

"At least show me a picture."

"No." He set down his now empty beer and started to kiss her neck to distract her, "I missed you tonight." He whispered into her ear, "I kept forgetting you weren't there."

"You really are sweet. Did you have a good time?"

"Yeah." He kissed her collar bone, "would have been better if you had been there."

Lorelai set down her not quite finished beer and stood up, "Come on," she reached out her hand, "let's go upstairs."

The next day was a Sunday, so Luke had the day off so he had a lie in. He came downstairs late rubbing his head.

"Hey." Lorelai smiled getting up from where she was playing with Rory and Jess.

"Hey." He responded, "do we have any paracetamol?" He took a seat in front on the children.

"Yeah," Lorelai responded walking towards the kitchen, "I'll grab you some."

She returned with two pills and a glass of water and sat down next to him.

"So?" She asked in a jolly teasing voice, "what do you want to do today? Something fun? Something adventurous? I know, maybe we could go to one of those kids play areas, you know the indoor ones with al other screaming kids, ofcourse they might be a little small but you could always go in with them, help them out a bit."

He put his hand on her knee as he spoke, "oh dear god, please no."

"Or I guess maybe we could just have a boring old day in." Lorelai said with a small grin.

"Option B please." Luke said as Rory tapped at his leg, "yes sweetie?" He asked her leaning over to look at her.

"I need toilet." She said.

"Quickly then." Luke said standing up and following Rory out.

Luke's dark day was quickly approaching and Lorelai was worried about him. She woke up on the 30th of November to see Luke sat up next to her, already awake, with a glazed look in his eye.

"Hey." She said touching his arm causing him to jump, "Sorry I didn't mean to startle you."

"Four years. It's been four years since he died, that's such a long time. In a way it feels like forever since I saw him but it also feels just like yesterday." Luke said.

Lorelai sat up next to him and silently stroked his hair, letting him speak.

After a brief pause he spoke up again, "he never met you. He would have loved you. You're so funny and kind and sweet he would have appreciated that. And Jess and Rory, he always wanted to have grandchildren. They would have been his world." Luke paused as tears ran down his face, "I miss him." He whispered.

Lorelai herself was near tears now and hugged his head to her body, "I know honey, I know." She whispered kissing the top of his head, "the four of us will go visit their graves today just like last year, it can be a tradition. You can tell me a bit more about him if you want. And no going fishing by yourself either."

Luke nodded and Lorelai paused, "you should phone Liz."

"Liz?"

"Yeah, I know you talked to her last year and it helped. He was her dad too she understands."

"I'll think about it. And thanks."

"No problem. I love you."

"I love you too. More than you could imagine."

"I dunno, I think I've got a pretty good idea." Lorelai kissed the top of his head again.

Later that evening after they had visited the graves and put Rory and Jess to bed they sat on the couch together with the phone in Luke's hand.

"Do you want me to leave you alone for this?" Lorelai asked him, thinking about the last time she phoned Liz.

"No, stay." Luke put a hand on her knee to keep her there, "I want you to stay."

Lorelai kissed his cheek and nodded sitting back and leaning against him slightly, waiting for him to dial.

Eventually he dialled and Liz picked up.

"Hello?" She said impatiently down the phone.

"Hi Liz, it's me." Luke said in a slow sad tone.

"Big brother," Liz said smugly, "does your little wife know you are calling me?"

"Yes Liz, she is sitting right here, that's not what I want to talk about."

"What do you want to talk about then?"

"Just wanted to make sure you are doing ok, today, you know..."

"Today?"

"Liz do you what day it is?"

"Some time in November I think?"

"It's November 30th."

Liz paused then gasped slightly, "dad..."

"Yeah, dad." Luke said trying not to be angry that she didn't remember.

"How long has it been?"

"Four years."

"Wow four years." Liz repeated back shocked.

"So Liz, how are you doing?"

"I'm doing fine, me and Jack are doing fine." She responded.

"Oh yes, Jack," Luke remembered then struggled to think of something to keep the conversation going.

"In fact me and Jack are thinking about having a baby." Liz said.

Luke's eyes went wide and he shot Lorelai a look, Lorelai however had no idea what Liz had just said, "are you sure? You have to be sure you are ready." Luke wanted nothing more than to just shout no down the phone, but he had a feeling that approach wouldn't work.

"I'm almost 19 Luke, it's not like before when I was 16, I'm married, you and Lorelai would be ready why can't Jack and I be?"

"But we aren't having another baby yet." Luke pointed out. Lorelai spring forward, "another baby!" She said in a loud high pitched voice causing Liz to hear down the phone.

"So Lorelai doesn't approve, big shock," Luke could almost hear Liz rolling her eyes down the phone, "honestly Luke I don't know what you see in that nasty woman."

"I'll speak to you some other time." Luke said and then hung up the phone.

"What happened?" Lorelai asked him rubbing his back as he leant into her.

"Dad would have wanted me to look after her, I've failed him." Luke said.

"No you have not." Lorelai said firmly, "you have done everything you could, she has failed herself and you and your father, you have failed no one. I mean it Luke, you are the kindest person I know, it's not possible for you to fail anyone."

The next day, a Monday, Lorelai walked into the diner after work and after picking Jess and Rory up from nursery. "Ewww gross, wrong!" She said coming to a halt when she saw Luke.

"What?" He asked kissing her cheek and picking Jess up from where he was trying to wonder off into the kitchen.

"Where's your hat?" She asked pointing to his capless head.

"Seriously, the sight of your husband who you see all the time without a hat on by the way without a hat on warrants a 'ewww gross wrong!'?" He asked raising his eyebrows in her direction sitting down at and empty table as she took the seat opposite him.

"I just meant, I'm used to seeing you with your cap on. I don't like you in public without it it's weird."

Luke rolled his eyes, "it's not like I'm not wearing pants!"

"Now that would look good." Lorelai pointed at him as if he had just had a good idea.

"Do I look that weird without my cap?" He asked running his hands subconsciously through his hair.

"Oh no! Sweetie you look great, you always look great. It was just a shock that's all. You know I like your hair and being able to run my fingers through it. It just looks strange and well wrong in this setting, but definitely by no means does it look gross. You, my love, are very handsome, I need to be careful no one comes in here to try and steal you."

"Thanks... I guess and I don't think you have anything to worry about."

"Where is your hat anyway?"

"It's at home, I didn't sleep well last night and well I just forgot." Luke said sheepishly.

Lorelai gave him a sympathetic look, "I'm sorry babe, I didn't mean to upset you. Although if you are looking for advice, you should wear it to work."

"I'll bear that in mind." Luke said drying standing up and kissing her lips quickly, "and you didn't upset me, want dinner?"

"Sure, eat with us?"

Luke looked around the diner, checking to see how busy it was, and shrugged, "sure."


	15. Chapter 15

Time passed and it was soon the Gilmore's Christmas party, two weeks before Christmas a fact that Luke was still not over.

"Luke!" Lorelai turned to him as they were getting ready to go, "I know it's not Christmas yet. Get over it!"

Luke pouted slightly, "I just think it's too early."

Lorelai picked up his tie and put it around his neck and tied it, "I know you do." She kissed him, "you don't have to keep telling me."

As they drove through Stars Hallow Lorelai pointed to every building the passed and said, "decorated." Then when they passed the diner she pointed and said, "not decorated, see Luke literally every other shop here is decorated."

"You sound like Taylor."

"You could put up something small, for the kids."

"You have decorated our house enough thankyou, I don't need that at work too."

Lorelai pouted and then went on to talk about how amazing the apple tarts are going to be.

When they got there Emily seemed particularly tense. They greeted all the guests and then took a seat keeping Rory and Jess on their laps for now, a fact that Jess in particular wasn't happy about as he tried to bargain his way out of Luke's arms.

About half way through drinks Emily got more and more quiet, "Lorelai a word please?" She asked signalling towards the stairs.

"Umm sure Mum." Lorelai stood up looking confused and swung Rory on to her hip and walked towards her mother.

"No leave her." She said and then walked upstairs leaving Richard to apologise to their guests.

Lorelai looked confused again but said "ok." And put Rory down on the sofa next to Luke and shrugged at him. Luke shrugged in return and put a hand on Rory's arm to keep her where she was.

"What is it Mum?" Lorelai walked into her parents bedroom to find her mum sitting on her bed.

"Oh Lorelai!" Emily said as if surprised to see her.

"Yeah, you called me up here..."

"Right yes sorry, I was just lost in thought."

"What is it Mum, are you ok, you've been off all evening, no offence."

"No I've just been thinking, me and your father agreed to talk to you at the end of the evening but I can't keep it off my mind."

"What is it Mum, you're scaring me."

"I got a letter and within that letter contained a letter to you."

"Ok..." Lorelai sat down next to her mother.

"It's from Christopher."

"What?" Lorelai asked shocked, "what would he have to say to me, he very gladly signed away all rights to Rory, no hesitation at all."

"I know that and in our letter he says he knows that too but that he is just checking in with you."

"Just checking in with me?" Lorelai repeated in a slightly high pitched voice.

"Apparently, I wasn't sure if I was going to tell you at all, I considered just binning it but then I thought that probably wasn't the right thing to do."

"Oh god, I want to talk to Luke." Lorelai said with a slight chuckle, "how sad is that, I never want to do anything without talking to Luke."

"That's not sad Lorelai." Emily said with a small smile, "that's a happy marriage."

"Yeah it is." Lorelai grinned and then remembered why they were up there and stood up, "right, give me the letter on our way out, ok? Right now we will both go back downstairs and try to act as normal as possible. I'm sorry to say this but your performance before just wasn't good enough you need to step it up a notch."

Emily sighed, "ok well I'll feel better now that you know, the possibility to keep it a secret is gone and that was my main thought anyway."

"Good." Lorelai led the way back downstairs and took her seat next to Luke, noticing that Rory was now in her fathers lap. Emily walked down behind her and apologised to the group for being so rude and then quickly went to check on dinner.

"What was that about?" Luke whispered in Lorelai's ear as Jess played with her dress.

"I'll tell you later, this isn't the time, although I don't think you particularly want to find out."

"Fine," Luke said, "although the fact that I don't want to find out makes me want to know even more."

Lorelai shrugged and then started talking to the French guests. A few minutes into the conversation the older French guy looked shock, "what did you say to him?" Luke asked her.

"I just asked him if he wanted to sleep with me tonight." Lorelai said innocently.

"Lorelai!"

"What it's the only French I know, this is the only opportunity I have at using it."

Luke shook his head at her and then the maid announced that dinner was ready.

"So Mum, when are the apple tarts coming, I've usually had the chance to scoff a few by now."

Emily made a face at Lorelai's choice of language, "they aren't, I decided I would change it up this year."

Lorelai's mouth fell open in disgust as people started to laugh around the room, "you got rid of the apple tarts?"

"Yes Lorelai."

"My babies?"

"Are right there Lorelai." Emily pointed to Rory and Jess, who were sitting innocently.

"No not those babies." Lorelai dismissed with a wave of her hand causing Luke to roll his eyes, "My apple tart babies."

"I can bring them back next year if you really want Lorelai, I just thought a change would be nice."

"You never change your babies," Lorelai pointed out, "you love them for who they are."

Emily rolled her eyes, "I'll keep that in mind." She said drying and then changed the subject.

As the evening was drawing to a close Jess and Rory where starting to get tired. Rory started to cry so Lorelai picked her up, "mum we better go, they are exhausted." She said to her mother then turned to Rory and started rubbing her back as Rory's head settled on her chest, "I know, the mean lady took away the apple tarts, but she'll get them back."

"Lorelai." Emily hissed from across the room getting her attention and then signalling towards the kitchen.

"Right yes of course." Lorelai started walking towards mother once again with Rory in her arms.

"Not with her!" Emily said outraged.

Lorelai sighed and looked around, Luke had Jess in his arms and while he could hold both of them at once it wasn't easy, especially not when they were tired, but she couldn't just put Rory down. She started to walk back towards Luke when her dad stopped her, "I've got her." He said.

"Thanks dad." Lorelai handed Rory over who started to cry, "I'll be right back sweetie just stay with Grandpa, ok?" Lorelai rushed off towards the kitchen, as Luke made his way over to try and help calm Rory down.

"Come on Ror, you're ok." He said rubbing her back.

"Dada." Rory held her arms out towards him with a pout.

Luke sighed then turned to Richard, "swap?" He asked, "Jess should be fine he can do tired a little better than she can." He put Jess down on the floor which caused him to start to protest until he was picked up by Richard after Luke had taken Rory from him.

"Grandpa!" Jess said.

"Hello Jess." Richard grinned.

Rory settled against Luke's chest and started to fall asleep.

Lorelai came back out with an envelope in hand and took Jess from her dad, "Mummy!" He said.

"Hi Jessie." Lorelai smiled at him, "thanks dad, we better get off, I'll call you tomorrow ok." Lorelai held up the envelope slightly and her dad nodded.

Once they got outside and Jess and Rory buckled in Lorelai and Luke got into the car. "What is that?" Luke asked starting the engine up.

"A letter from Christopher."

"What? Why?" Luke asked, "what does it say?"

"I dunno he wrote to my parents about how he just wanted to check in with me or something I dunno."

"Are you alright?" Luke asked her reversing out of the driveway.

Lorelai turned to Luke and smiled, "You are so sweet. I should be asking you that. Are you alright?"

"I'll have to see what is says first."

"Fair. I don't want to open it when you are driving though. Can we wait until we get home?"

"Sure."

"And then we can read it together?" Lorelai asked hopefully.

"If you want to." Luke paused, "I understand if you just want to read it on your own."

"No, Luke, I want to read it with you."

"Ok if you're sure."

The rest of the car ride was mainly in silence, partly because Jess and Rory were sleeping in the back and partly because they were both lost in thought.

They got back and put Jess and Rory to bed, then got ready for bed them selves and sat on their bed.

"You ready?" Lorelai asked Luke.

"If you are." Luke replied and Lorelai opened the letter and set it out in front of them so they could both read it.

 _Dear Lor,_

 _Sorry that you haven't heard from me in a while. I heard you married that dude. Congratulations I guess, I'm not going to lie I was shocked, you weren't alway totally for marriage. Anyway, I don't know if you heard but I got into Princeton, with more than a little help from my father. That's were I am now actually. I'm not sure exactly why I'm writing this. I'm struggling here, I've got to say you would love it though, you always could do anything I could do better. Anyway a week ago one of my mates here found out his girlfriend is pregnant and he is making all sorts of huge plans. It got me thinking about you and I just wanted to apologise, I didn't treat you well at all. Please know I loved you at that I still do. I should have treated you and Rory better, you have both been on my mind all week._

 _Im not sure I'm going to make it here. I appreciate that I signed away all my rights, I'm not trying to change that, I know I can't. I was just wandering if maybe we could meet up. Im back in Hartford over Christmas, two weeks before until two weeks after. I just want to see you and Rory nothing more. Not even a her father or anything, just as her mothers old friend. Please consider it. I've written my parents phone number on the back of this._

 _Love Chris._

Lorelai finished reading the note and looked at Luke who was still reading, but Lorelai could tell her wasn't enjoying the read from the clenched jaw and death glare The was giving the page. Luke finished and lay back.

"You ok?" Lorelai asked him, running a hand through his hair.

Luke sat up and looked at Lorelai, "Lor?" He asked.

Lorelai glared at him, "Seriously, that's the bit you pick out?"

"I was just going to go line from line."

"If you must know he used to call me that, I hated it."

"I much prefer crazy lady, myself." Luke smiled at her.

"So do I." Lorelai returned the smile, "but seriously Luke, what do we do?"

"We have two options really, one we just ignore him or two we give him a phone and meet up. Now as nice as number one truly sounds, and it sounds very nice, I have a funny feeling we are going to go with two."

"Why?"

"Two reasons once again and I like this one two thing so I think I'll stick to it. One we are very curious, you want to know what he would say and two we are also unfortunately quite nice, and we are probably going to give him a chance, give him some closure."

Lorelai nodded.

"Rory doesn't have to know who he is, in fact I really don't want her to know, and she won't remember it, she's only two." Luke pointed out.

"Ok I'll phone him tomorrow, we can meet up in some park in Hartford or something."

"Ok and she is staying right by me."

"Of course."

"I mean like you and Jess when Liz was around."

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

"Good." Luke put his arm around her and lay back again this time taking her with him, "now go to sleep Crazy Lady."

Lorelai giggled slightly and settled back against Luke wriggling under the covers, "I love you." She said.

"I love you too." Luke said kissing the top of her head.

The next day Lorelai phoned her parents first to update them on what was happening and then phoned Christopher.

She walked back into the living room, "we are meeting up this afternoon in Hartford, if that's ok." Lorelai said sitting next to Luke as he subconsciously reached for Rory and picked her up.

"Sure." Luke said trying to sound nonchalant.

"And you are sure you are ok with this?"

"Yeah Lorelai, I'm fine."

Later on they were all in the car on their way to Hartford.

"Where we going?" Jess asked.

"To a park, remember I told you."

"Why?" Jess asked.

"To meet someone mummy used to know." Lorelai explained.

"Why?"

"Because he asked to."

"Why?"

"We will find out Jess."

"Why?"

"Jess?"

"Yes?"

"You are just asking questions off the sake of it now aren't you?"

Jess giggled and then started to play a game with himself out the window.

When they got there and Luke parked up they got out of the car. Lorelai got out and opened the door next to her and reached in for Rory.

"Lorelai." Luke said.

"Sorry." She walked around the car and got Jess about as Luke went for Rory.

They had agreed to meet Christopher on a bench in the centre of the park but as they were a little early they decided to wait in the play park area, with view of the bench so that Jess and Rory wouldn't get bored.

Luke was pushing Rory on a swing when Lorelai approached him with an upset Jess on her hip, "he's here."

Luke grabbed the swing causing it to stop and Rory to protest. Luke lifted her out. "No!" She shouted at him, "swing daddy!"

"Not now Rory, we have to go, but we might come back afterwards, ok?"

"No!" Rory answered again as they left the park.

"Rory come on, be a good girl for daddy."

"But daddy, I want to swing." Rory explained as she looked over Luke's shoulder towards the park.

"I know you do sweetie, but you can't right now. I'm sorry."

Rory started to pout but stopped complaining as they approached the bench that Christopher was sitting on from behind.

"Christopher." Lorelai said to get his attention.

"Lor!" Turning around, "you look great. Although I've got to say, Rory looks like a boy." He laughed slightly.

"This isn't Rory. This is Jess my son."

"Oh Right yes, of course you told me when we last met, where is Rory then?" He asked confused.

"Right here." Luke said putting is arm around Lorelai's shoulders.

"Ah, you brought your husband." Christopher said.

"Of course I did." Lorelai said.

"What's his name again, I forgot."

"Luke." Lorelai said.

"How have you been then Lor?" Christopher said ignoring Luke.

"I've been good, and it's Lorelai. I'm sure you can manage it all. How about you Christopher?"

"Ok I guess. Let me tell you school is hard. I'm not sure I'm really cut out for it. School was always more your thing, wasn't it?"

"What do you want Christopher?" Lorelai asked cutting off the small talk.

Christopher sighed, "I just wanted to see that my life wasn't a total failure. That something good came out of it." He said looking at Rory.

"What do you mean? Chris you're 18, you're life isn't over. Please don't do anything stupid."

"I won't. I just wanted to see. She's beautiful. She really is. She must be two now."

"She was two in October." Lorelai said.

"Can I say hi to her?"

Lorelai looked at Luke who looked down and then back up at her and nodded.

"Sure, but she is staying with Luke."

"Hey Rory." Christopher said getting her attention and taking a step closer to her and Luke, "I'm Christopher, I just wanted to say hi to you."

"Daddy?" Rory asked.

"How did she.." Christopher asked shocked.

"She didn't," Luke rolled his eyes causing Lorelai to smile slightly at him and bite her lip, "she is talking to me."

"Oh."

"Yes sweetie?" Luke said to Rory.

"Daddy, we go swing?"

"Not yet." Luke kissed the side of her head and Rory sighed dramatically and flopped down against Luke.

"I'm sorry Lorelai." Christopher turned back to her, "I should have treated you better. And Rory too. I'm sorry."

"It's ok. It worked out beautifully, I got Luke and Jess, I couldn't ask for me."

"I'll leave you to it then, I just wanted to see I guess."

"Ok, bye Christopher."

Christopher left and Lorelai and Luke sat down on the bench. "That wasn't too bad." Lorelai said.

"No it was ok." Luke agreed still holding Rory tightly.

"Come on, bring her back to the swings." Lorelai said standing up and letting Jess walk back to the park.

"Daddy, I walk." Rory said pointing towards the ground.

"Can't daddy just carry you to the swings, this one time, please?" Luke asked her.

"Swings!" She said in excitement forgetting about wanting to walk and kicking her legs against Luke in excitement.

"Yeah baby, swings!" Luke grinned at her.

Soon enough it was Christmas Eve and Jess and Rory were very excited for Santa coming. That evening they put out a palate of cookies and a glass of milk for Santa and originally it was just a single carrot for Rudolf, but then Rory got upset that all the other reindeers didn't get anything so Luke ended up going to Doose's market to buy more carrots. Once all the food was set out Luke and Lorelai given them a bath and then got them ready for bed. 10 minutes after putting them to bed they heard foot steps on the stairs.

"Mummy I can't sleep." Jess said.

"Why not."

"Too excited."

"Santa can't come until you are asleep Jess."

"I tried."

"Come on." Luke said standing up and walking upstairs picking Jess up from where he stopped half way down. "What if I come sit with you, I'll read you another story."

Lorelai decided to check on Rory and found her lying her her bed with her eyes clenched closed. She chuckled slightly.

"Santa?" Rory sprung up and turned to face the door.

"No sweets," Lorelai giggled, "just me." She sat on the side of her bed, "why aren't you asleep?"

Rory crawled into Lorelai's lap, "I am excited."

"Yeah, I might have made Christmas a bit too exciting." Lorelai said mainly to herself, something she would never admit in front of Luke who had been saying all week that she was making it too exciting, when she took every opportunity to get Jess and Rory excited.

"Come on, do you want to go lie down with Mummy in my bed, until you are asleep and then I'll put you back in your bed." Rory nodded so Lorelai stood up with her in her arms. For 15 minutes Rory babbled on about Christmas and then eventually fell asleep. The only problem was that Lorelai had also fallen asleep so when Luke eventually got Jess to sleep and went to find Lorelai he found them fast asleep. He smiled and gently picked up Rory and brought her to her own bed being careful not to wake her and then returned for Lorelai.

Luke jumped onto the bed causing Lorelai to stir but not wake up so he leaned over her and whispered in her ear, "Come on Crazy Lady, you've been looking forward to playing Santa for ages."

Lorelai woke with a grin, "Come on let's go, I'll get started with the cookies, you go get all the presents from the flat and when you get back you can get a treat of a carrot while we wrap them."

Luke held onto her hands and dragged her up and out of bed. He then went out to his truck and drove to the diner. Filling the boot of his truck with all the presents they had bought and driving back home to see Lorelai sitting ready with wrapping paper scissors and tape and the plate of cookies half done.

"Good boy." She said when she saw him back, "have a carrot." She then rushed outside and started bringing stuff in. "I've just checked on them," she said on her way past, "they are both asleep for good."

"Good." Luke walked outside to help bring in the rest.

The next morning at quarter to 5 Rory came running into Luke and Lorelai's room and jumped up on the bed all over them, "it's Christmas!" She shouted.

Lorelai groaned at the noise and rolled over to face her.

Luke grabbed her by the waist and pulled her down on top of him causing her to giggle. "Shhhhh." He said calmly trying to calm her down.

"Did Santa come?" Rory asked standing up and then sitting down on Luke's stomach.

"Don't know Rory, we will have to wait and see." Lorelai grinned at her, waking up slightly, she then looked at the clock, "but not yet, it's still night time, we have to go back to sleep."

"Nooooo! Go now."

"We have to wait for Jess to wake up anyway, come on, lie down in the middle." Lorelai patted the space between her and Luke.

Rory pouted but did as she was told and lay down. Lorelai quickly fell back asleep but Luke wasn't granted the luxury as Rory was lying against Lorelai facing Luke and was talking away to him.

At half six when Jess came in, Luke felt like he had just gotten back to sleep. Rory woke up again on Jess' arrival with as much excitement as when she first came in. They all got up and went to the top of the stairs. Rory and Jess tried to rub down but Lorelai held them back. "Daddy is going to go check that Santa came." She told them as Luke went downstairs and Rory and Jess waited anxiously at the top stair.

Luke returned to the bottom of the stairs and trying to hide his grin said, "sorry guys, doesn't look like he came." Both Rory and Jess instantly broke into tears and Luke regretted his joke.

"I'm only joking," he ran up the stairs and grabbed them in a hug, "Come on, I'm sorry, that was mean, he came, there are loads of presents for you."

They both grinned and threw their arms around Luke's neck. Luke stood up with them both holding on to him and walked them into the living room where they saw the Christmas tree that now had presents under it and the lights turned on from when Luke had gone to check. They squealed in excitement and jumped down and ran to the presents.

"Not so fast." Lorelai said stopping them in their tracks, "we have to give them out make sure they go to the right person." She sat down right next to the tree and Luke sat next to her with Rory and Jess sat in front of them. She picked up a present and read out the tag, "this one says for Rory from Santa." She handed it to Rory who whipped off the wrapping paper as Jess pouted that he didn't go first. She picked up another one that was also for Rory so sat it down and found one for Jess, "hey Jess look, this one says to Jess.." Jess pounced on the gift ripping it from her hands, "from Santa." She finished.

"Jess be nice, no snatching." Luke reminded him.

A few minutes later all the gifts were given out and Rory was sorting through hers as Jess crawled under the tree trying to look for more.

"Come on," Lorelai said grabbing Jess' legs from under the tree and gently pulling him out causing him to giggle, "let's have breakfast."


	16. Chapter 16

Life was good for the Danes family of four, everything was going their way. Rory and Jess were both almost completely potty trained,only the odd accident, Lorelai was enjoying her job at the front desk and in the summer, Sookie was going to be joining the kitchen staff full time as she finished with culinary school. The diner was doing good and Luke was turning over a good profit, more than what he had been expecting.

Life continued to be great until Lorelai's birthday. Her 19th birthday fell on a Saturday. The night before they had been at her parents and that evening a surprise party had been planned by Luke and Mia at the Inn.

She woke up feeling happy to see Luke still asleep beside her. Neither Jess or Rory had come in to them, so they were still asleep too. She snuggled into Luke's side and lay contently until he woke up.

"Hey." He greeted her.

"Hi." She smiled back and gave him a quick kiss.

"Happy birthday!" He wished her.

"Thank you." She kissed him again and continued to kiss him until Rory came in to ask to go downstairs.

"Yeah missy, just wait with mummy for a minute ok?" Luke said getting out of bed and picking Rory up and placing her where he had just been.

He came back 5 minutes later with a half awake Jess. "Coming?" He asked Lorelai and Rory.

"Yeah daddy." Rory said jumping down, "Daddy? Did you know that it is mummy's birthday. She's 19."

"I did know that."

"Oh me too."

They walked into the kitchen and tied on the back of Lorelai's normal chair where a few balloons and a coffee cake was set in front of it.

"Luke!" Lorelai squealed with excitement when she saw it.

"Yeah?" He asked and he watched Jess and Rory try to jump up and touch the balloons.

"You made me a cake and tied up balloons!" Lorelai told him, still excited by it.

"Yeah its a coffee cake." Luke said blowing up another balloon so that he could give a loose one to Rory and Jess to play with.

"Wow, you're the best!" Lorelai walked over to him and put her arm around him.

"You haven't even seen my present yet."

"Ooohhhhhh What is it?" She looked around and then her eyes fell on where her old coffee maker used to be but where there was now a brand new one, "you got me a new coffee maker?"

"Yeah, do you like it?"

"It's great." Lorelai said inspecting it, "I'm confused though, are you all good with me drinking as much coffee as I want now?" She asked hopefully.

"Nope, not even slightly, but it's your birthday and you like coffee so.."

"Well thankyou." She smiled at him.

They spent the day having fun and at 3:30 Luke suggested they go for a walk, planing a route in his head so that they arrived at the Inn at 4, as planned. When they got to the Inn, people jumped out and yelled surprise, Lorelai was caught by surprise and loved it unfortunately Rory was also caught by surprise and didn't appreciate it quite as much. She wouldn't let Luke put her down for half an hour. Sookie was there and so where her parents and friends from the Inn and other parents from nursery that she got along with and their children.

Life was still going good at this point. Life was going good until Mia exited her office with a serious face and approached Lorelai, "where's Luke?" She asked her.

Lorelai looked up with a grin, "he just went to get a drink." She then saw Mia's expression, "why? Is everything ok?"

"I don't know really, when he comes back send him to my office you might want to come too." Mia then walked back into her office leaving a confused and curious Lorelai behind.

Luke returned quickly and Lorelai turned to Maizy who was nearby and asked her to keep an eye on Rory and Jess for her. She met Luke and grabbed his arm, "Mia wants to speak to us." She led him towards the office and knocked and entered when told to do so.

"Luke good, Josh had just phoned from the diner. Apparently there was a phone call to the diner. Liz has been in some sort of accident, she's in hospital in New York. You are listed as her next of kin. Josh said they said it was serious but wouldn't say anything more over the phone."

"Oh my god." Luke said sitting down on the arm of a chair.

Lorelai put her hand on his shoulder, "go see her, make sure she is ok."

"But your party." Luke said not thinking straight.

"Doesn't matter, go on go home pack a bag you might need to stay somewhere over night. Keep in touch."

"Ok." Lucked kissed her briefly, "I'll keep in touch." He said and then left the office to go say bye to Rory and Jess before he left.

Lorelai tried to go back to her party but her mind just wasn't in it. She found herself off to the side watching when Sookie joined her.

"What's up?" Sookie asked sitting ungraciously next to her, "you seem down."

"Nothing." Lorelai said then looked around to make sure no one was nearby, "Luke's gone up to New York, Liz has had an accident she's in the hospital."

"The hospital?" Sookie asked, "I'm not sure how I'm suppose to react to that are we happy or sad?"

"Sookie!" Lorelai giggled slightly however.

"I'm just saying." Sookie held her hands up in surrender, "Come on, no point sitting here, let's get back into the party." Sookie grabbed Lorelais hand and dragged her back towards the big group of people.

Later that evening Lorelai and Sookie where walking home with Rory and Jess as Lorelai didn't have the pram and it was late and neither of them wanted to walk.

"Where's daddy?" Rory asked Lorelai from Sookie's arms.

"Remember he said goodbye." Lorelai told her.

"Yeah." Rory said then added, "but where's daddy?"

"She's got you there." Sookie laughed.

"He went to New York."

"Why?"

"To see his sister."

"Why?"

"She's hurt."

"Why?"

"Rory. That's enough."

"Why?" Lorelai just didn't grant that question a response.

When they got home Lorelai thanked Sookie for helping her out and carrying Rory home and arranged to meet up with her the next day as she was going back to school the day after. Once Sookie was gone Lorelai got Jess and Rory ready for bed and then went downstairs to watch tv. At a quarter past midnight she was woken up from where she had fallen asleep on the sofa by the phone ringing.

"Hello?" She asked, sleep obvious in her voice.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you." Luke replied.

"Luke! No it's ok, I fell asleep on the couch anyway. What's going on."

"It's not good Lorelai. Remember Liz decided she was ready to be a mother, well her and her idiot husband, or I should say soon to be ex-husband, decided that would be a good idea. Anyway she was pregnant, they got in a fight, she stormed off got drunk and got hit by a car, she's in a coma, she's lost the baby and her idiot ex-husband has decided it's murder and is leaving her."

"You can't remember his name an you?"

"Idiot ex-husband does him just fine."

"She's in a coma?"

"Yeah."

"Geez."

"Geez indeed."

"Will she be ok?" Lorelai showed genuine concern.

"They aren't sure." Luke rubbed the side of his face, "they say the sooner she wakes up the better her chances of survival, if it's within the week she should be good but anything longer and they aren't sure."

"Are you ok?" Lorelai asked him.

"I'm fine."

"What are you going to do?"

"What do you mean?"

"When are you coming home?"

"I don't know Lorelai, I really don't want to be here, but I can't leave her, she has no one."

"I know." Lorelai yawned.

"Go to bed, I'll phone you back in the morning."

"No I'm fine." Lorelai yawned again.

"Lorelai, come on you'll fall asleep on the phone and Rory will find you on the floor in the morning."

Lorelai giggled slightly at the image, "where are you going to sleep tonight?"

"Here."

"Comfy." Lorelai said sarcastically walked the phone back over to the side, "Good night, love you, phone me in the morning."

Lorelai waited for her response expecting a good night love you too but instead she got a stream of swear words.

"Luke? What's wrong? What's happening? Are you ok?"

"Liz."

"Is she ok?"

"What do you want to bet she doesn't have health insurance?"

"They'll still treat her." Lorelai assured him.

"What do you want to bet idiot ex-husband won't be paying the bills?"

"We won't have to pay will we?" Lorelai asked forgetting about being tired, "no there's no way."

"Someone has to pay." Luke pointed out, "we will figure it out in the morning, don't worry about it, get some sleep, I'll ask someone here in the morning, this must be common."

"Yeah, sweet dreams." Lorelai said sarcastically and Luke chuckled down the phone.

The next morning Lorelai set a bowl of food in front of Rory and kissed her on the head when the phone rang. She darted towards it and picked it up.

"Luke?"

"You didn't know it was going to be me." Luke pointed out, "imagine if I had been your mother."

"Yeah no that wouldn't go down too well with her, maybe that's how I should answer the phone from now on, just see how people react."

"How about you just stick with hello?" Luke asked as Lorelai walked back into the kitchen and gave Jess his food.

"That's no fun. So how is it going down there?"

"Good on the money, Liz is the same, so not worse."

"Good on the money, good how?"

"I spoke to someone who said that the debt will be hers and idiot ex-husbands, once they get divorced it will most likely be just hers, but if she can show she has no means of paying it then there is some organisation down here who pays for this kinda thing and will probably take her case."

"That's good, That's very good. So no change with her?"

"No, just the same."

"When are you coming home, I've had where's daddy like a million times today." Lorelai said then groaned down the phone, "saying where's daddy has reminded some people that they would like to know where daddy is, isn't that right?" Lorelai asked Rory and Jess who had both asked, "where's daddy?" As soon as Lorelai had brought it up in the conversation.

Luke chuckled, "I miss them too. And you. I don't know, I want to go home, but I'm not sure if I should leave her. I know we don't get on but I don't want her to wake up from a coma hear that she got hit by a car has lost her baby and her husband is leaving her and be all alone."

"You're right, that would be horrible, no one deserves that, you should stay." Lorelai said then stood up and said in a coy voice as she walked over to her new coffee maker, "although, this does mean that you are going to break a promise to your wife."

"Oh yeah? What promise is that?" Luke responded smiling slightly.

"After our wedding, you promised me that we would kiss everyday, hard to kiddo if you aren't here."

"I'm sorry Lorelai."

"It's ok, don't worry about it."

"No it's not ok, I'm really sorry. If it is any consolation I really want to kiss you."

"I really want to kiss you too."

"I'll make it up to you."

"It's ok, Luke I understand. I've got to go, we are meeting Sookie in 40 minutes and none of us are dressed."

"Ok, love you."

"Love you too." Lorelai smiled and finished off her coffee then got Jess Rory and herself ready for a day out with Sookie.

Sookie and Rory took the kids to the local park to try and distract them from the "where's daddy?" Question. They sat on a bench off to the side and watched as Rory and Jess ran around. Lorelai had to intersect a few times when Jess tried to climb on something that was too big for him but for the most part the two girls just chatted.

At lunch time they went into the diner.

"How's Luke's sister?" Josh asked setting two cups of coffee in front of them.

"Not great." Lorelai replied, "Luke is probably going to be up there for a bit, you are ok to cover here right, he'll give you a bonus."

Josh laughed, "of course I am, does Luke know about this bonus?"

"Nah but he will."

After they ate Sookie went home to pack and Lorelai headed over to Shirley and Daniels house for a play date, something Jess was more happy about than Rory.

Once they finally got home Lorelai gave them a bath to try and clam them down, and clean them up after the mess they had made at dinner. They eventually calmed down and Lorelai was able to get them to sleep. She then went downstairs and like the night before turned on the tv. She was really tired, but she thought Luke would call so wanted to stay up for it.

The phone call never came however and eventually Lorelai fell asleep in front of the tv again.

At 11:58pm Luke came through the door and smiled as he saw his wife asleep on the sofa with the tv still on, he turned off the tv and sat down next to her brushing the hair off her face and kissing her awake.

When she woke up he smiled and looked at his watch, "look at that, one minute to spare, for a minute there I thought I wouldn't make it."

"Luke?"

"Is this just what you do when I'm not home, never go to bed just fall asleep in front of the tv?"

"What are you doing here?"

"Keeping my promise." Luke replied kissing her again and causing her to grin.

"What about Liz?"

"I'll go back up tomorrow morning, I can't be breaking promises to my wife now can I?"

"No you can't." Lorelai grinned and kissed him again, "Come on." She said standing up and holding onto his hand, "it's late I'm tired and I've missed you let's go to bed."

The next morning Lorelai was woken up by Rory shrieking, "daddy!"

"Hey Rory." Luke smiled leaning over towards her and picking her up onto the bed, "miss me?" He asked her.

"Ya." Rory said giving him a hug.

"I missed you too, where you good for mummy?" Luke asked her.

"I was." Rory said defensively.

"Good girl." Luke kissed her cheek, "I have to go back, I just wanted to see you all, will you promise to keep being good for Mummy?"

"No daddy, don't go, stay here!" Rory started to cry.

"Come on baby, it won't be for long, I promise, I'll make you and Jess breakfast and then I have to go, but I'll be back really soon."

"Hey!" Lorelai said, "make me breakfast too!"

"I'll make you Jess and your mother breakfast and then I have to go." Luke amended himself.

Rory pouted and hugged Luke, "I know, baby, I'll miss you too, but you have to go to nursery today anyway, so you'll be ok."

Rory nodded and cheered up at the idea of nursery and then Jess came in and Luke had to explain that he was going all over again.

Eventually Luke made everyone breakfast and kissed Lorelai goodbye before leaving with Rory and Jess to drop them off at nursery on his way. After dropping them off he checked the time and he was a little behind schedule but decided to drop by at the diner to check how it was doing.

"Luke?" Josh said in surprise, "I thought you were still in New York."

"Just heading back up there now, thought I would check in before I left."

"Ah, So my bonus is safe."

"Your bonus?"

"Oh umm Lorelai said I could have a bonus for covering while you are in New York."

"Did she?"

"Yeah, if that's ok with you."

Luke laughed slightly, "chill Josh, of course that's ok with me, makes me feel less guilty about leaving you here anyway."

Just then Lorelai comes through the door. "What are you doing here, you're going to be late for work?" Luke asked her.

"Oh hey!" Lorelai pecked him on the lips, "quick get me a coffee to go and then you can give me a lift to the Inn."

Luke rolled his eyes and did as he was told. On the way there he asked her, "why were you even in the diner, you have coffee at home."

"Diner coffee is better."

"Diner coffee is the same. The exact same."

"Yet better." Lorelai grinned at him over her take away cup as she they pulled up outside the Inn.

"Goodbye crazy lady." Luke smiled at her.

"See ya!" Lorelai leaned over and kissed him, "phone me."

"Sounds like I'm dropping you off after a date." Luke laughed as she got out and she turned to smile at him before he left for New York again.

"You look happy." Mia approached Lorelai at around midday.

"I am." Lorelai grinned.

"I'm surprised, I thought after your part and Luke having to leave you would be down. How is Liz anyway?" Mia asked.

"Oh Mia, that's not why I'm happy. Liz isn't doing great actually, she was hit by a car, she is in a coma, she was pregnant again but she lost the baby and her husband told Luke he is going to leave her as soon as she pulls through."

"So she will pull through."

"The doctors are optimistic, if she wakes up within the week the chances are quite good and they think she will."

"So is Luke up there?"

"Yeah."

"Then why the good mood."

Lorelai giggled slightly and blushed, "it's silly really. Luke is just really cute."

Mia gave her a confused look.

Lorelai blushed again and made sure there was no one around and leaned towards Mia and spoke in a low voice, "on our wedding day he promised me that we would kiss everyday. So yesterday when he said he was going to stay with Liz because someone should be there when she woke up I was a little disappointed. Just before midnight yesterday he came home to give me a kiss so he didn't break his promise and he left for New York again this morning."

Mia smiled sweetly, "He is cute." She agreed.

"Yeah." Lorelai smiled.

"Have you seen Sookie?"

"Saw her yesterday."

"No I mean today, she said she would meet me here around noon to pick up a pay check for some work she did for me, I was wondering if she was here yet."

"No haven't seen her."

Half an hour later, just as Lorelai's lunch break started Sookie arrived. "Great timing, have time for some lunch?" Lorelai said approaching Sookie.

"Sure, I just need to see Mia first." Sookie rushed off and Lorelai went to get a table for the two of them.

Lorelai very rarely ate at the Inn, she usually spent her lunch break at the diner, but as Luke was going to be there, there was no point in going anyway.

"Hey so what's the news on the Liz situation." Sookie asked sitting down across from Lorelai.

"Nothing really." Lorelai said then grinned and just as she had with Mia just over a half hour before she told Sookie the story of Luke coming home last night. Throughout the story both Lorelai and Sookie giggled and when their food arrived Sookie sighed, "I want a man like that."

"You will." Lorelai assured her.

"When?"

"I dunno Sook, you are hardly very old, I wouldn't worry about dying alone just yet."

"You are younger than me." Sookie pointed out.

"True but I got married at 18 that's hardly regular. Anyway your perfect man will be out there somewhere."

"I hope so, somewhere close preferably."

"What do you think he will be like?" Lorelai asked Sookie with a grin.

Sookie considered it, "I'm not really sure. Probably into food in some way."

"Everyone is into food in some way."

"Ok, into food in a way that is more than just eating it."

"Yeah? Anything else?"

"I dunno, I'm really bad at this kinda thing. Would cute be an ok thing to say."

"Definitely. Luke's cute, although don't tell him I said that."

At the same time as this conversation was happening Luke was sitting in a hospital in New York bored out of his mind.

"Come on Liz, just wake up already so I can get out of here." He said and was met with no response other than the beeping of the machine.

Eventually some doctors came by. "Looking at the brain scans we did she should wake up in the next day or two with no lasting damage, although we can't be sure until she wakes up and we can assess her properly."

"Ok." Luke said nodding at the doctors, "so she'll be ok then, you think."

"Yes we do think, although we can't make any guarantees."

"I understand." Luke smiled at them as they left and looked back at the clock waiting for the time he knew Lorelai would get home so that he could phone her.


	17. Chapter 17

Luke slept in the hospital that night with a promise to Lorelai to come home the next night. About half way through the day Liz started to wake up and Luke called the nurses in in a panic, not sure what he was suppose to do.

Once everything had been calmed down Luke was left a lone with a semi-conscious Liz.

"Jack?" Liz asked confused as to who was next to her.

"Ummm... no." Luke said awkwardly, "it's Luke, your brother."

"Big brother!" Liz smiled easily.

"Yeah, Hey Liz. You got into a bit of an accident." Luke said.

"Where am I? Where's jack?" Liz asked slowly becoming more aware of her surroundings.

"You are in the hospital and I don't know where Jack is."

"Did he say when he was going to be back?" Liz asked Luke hopefully.

Luke hesitated, he didn't know how to tell Liz that her husband said he wasn't coming back land so far he had been true to his word, on top of that Liz still didn't know that she had lost her baby. "I don't think he is." Luke decided to go with.

"What? Of course he is coming back. We are having a baby."

"Liz..."

"What?"

"The baby.."

"What about the baby?" Liz didn't catch on that something might have happened to the baby.

"You were quite badly hurt in your accident, you haven't been awake for days, the doctors couldn't guarantee that you would survive or how your brain had faired."

"Yes but Luke What about my baby?"

Luke thought that maybe her brain hadn't faired too well after all but his sister had always been a bit dim, "the baby didn't make it." Luke said wincing slightly not sure if he had been sensitive enough.

"The baby didn't make it? Like it died?" Liz looked shocked.

"You miscarried shortly after you were hit." Luke explained.

"Where's Jack, I want to see Jack, does he know?"

"Yeah he knows. He was quite upset." Luke hoped he could leave it at that but he knew he couldn't.

"When's he coming back?" Liz asked, slightly distracted by her thoughts, not realising that she had already asked this question.

"Well Liz, ummm, well, geez Liz I don't really know how to tell you this." Luke fumbled over his words and adjusted his baseball cap looking at the floor, "Jack said well ummm I'm not sure if I should tell you this."

"Spit it out already." Liz said getting annoyed.

"He said he isn't coming back, he wants a divorce." Luke said quickly.

"What? Why? Sure we had a little fight, but we are having a baby together, we were having a baby together and we can always have another one."

"He said you fought because you were drinking and when you were brought in here you were quite drunk, the driver said you stumbled out in front of the car."

"Well yeah but 9 months is a long time to go without any drink. It's unreasonable really. It's a stupid thing to fight about."

Luke tried really hard not to roll his eyes, "Liz come on."

Liz then started crying, "so I'm back to having nothing then, no husband, no family, no kids."

"Hey, I'm here aren't I? You will always have me when you need me. I'm your big brother."

"I can't though can I because of Lorelai." Liz spat out Lorelai's name.

"That's not true. Lorelai was more than understanding that I had to be up here to be with you. Maybe she's not your biggest fan, but she knows you are my sister, she understands that is just, very understandably actually, a little wary of you around Jess, especially with the way he reacts."

Liz now rolled her eyes but it was clear to Luke that she wasn't going to stay awake for much longer, "What am I going to do?" Liz asked gazing up at Luke as she fell asleep.

"Shhh," Luke said, "we can talk more when you wake up." And with that Liz fell back asleep and Luke left the room to go ring the Inn, hoping to catch Lorelai at the start of her lunch break to tell her what had just happened.

"Independence Inn, Mia speaking." Mia picked up the phone.

"Oh, Hi Mia, it's Luke, you wouldn't happen to know where Lorelai is would you?"

"Yeah she just left on her break, I think she said she was going to the diner for her lunch."

"Ok thanks, I'll phone there."

"Hey Luke? How's Liz?" Mia asked having known both Luke and Liz since childhood.

"She's doing ok, I think. She just woke up and she seemed fine to me but she hasn't seen a doctor yet but they said any brain damage should be fairly obvious. Well any serious brain damage anyway."

"That Good Luke, tell her I'm thinking of her."

"Will do."

"Bye Luke."

"Bye." Luke said and put the phone down, dialling up the diners phone number.

"Hello?" Josh picked up the phone.

"Hi josh it's Luke, how is everything going?"

"Oh hey Luke, yeah it's going fine. No problems here. Just quite busy." Josh said trying to hint that he couldn't really talk on the phone but not wanting to say it outright.

"Well busy is good, Hey is Lorelai there by any chance?" He asked.

"Don't know how you did that mate but she just walked in." Josh responded.

"Get her for me, I'll let you go back to work."

"I here I have a phone call." Lorelai almost sang in a happy voice down the phone.

"Don't get too excited," Luke chucked, "it's only me."

"Dammit, I was hoping it was the bangles finally asking me to join the group."

"No luck there."

"Hey, what's up?" Lorelai asked him.

"What's up? Well Liz woke up and I just had to tell her that she lost her baby and her husband wants a divorce."

"Aww babe, that can't have been easy. How is she doing?"

"Ok I think, she was still a bit drowsy, not sure how well it sunk in, I hope I don't have to tell her again."

"You'll be fine. So she's awake? What's happening now?"

"Nothing really she just woke up, we had our nice little chat, there was some light Lorelai bashing then she fell asleep." Luke said with a smirk that he was pretty sure Lorelai could here.

"Some light Lorelai bashing?" Lorelai asked smirking back, "I hope you didn't get involved in that."

"I wouldn't dare." Luke said seriously, "so how has your day been?" He asked her.

"Fine, normal, average, slightly boring, but I'm glad I get to talk to you while I eat my lunch, I've missed that."

"The whole two days you didn't get to do it."

"Yep."

"You aren't eating now are you? Please tell me you don't have the chord across getting in everyone's way."

"Hey! I do not, I am standing next to the phone like a good little girl, drinking my coffee."

"Oh well I'm glad you got your coffee." Luke said sarcastically.

"I am too." Lorelai grinned and giggled slightly, "Hey Luke, I've got to go if I'm going to have time to eat and get back to the Inn. I'll see you tonight right?"

"Yeah you will, see ya."

"Love you." Lorelai said.

"Love you too." Luke replied and with that Lorelai was gone and Luke was back to being bored in the hospital. He decided he would go get some lunch himself, as Liz would still be asleep anyway and the nurse said the earliest the doctor could come was 2.

The doctors came and ran some tests they said that they were very hopeful that Liz would be fine but they would have to wait for the test results to be certain. Luke then spent his afternoon after the doctors had left with Liz getting her test ran, in a small office in New York trying to speak to some people about helping his sister out with medical bills. In the early evening he finally had it sorted out and Liz would only have to sign a few things to get it sorted. He returned to the hospital just in time for the doctors to come back and say that Liz's tests were all good and that they would keep her in for about a week for observations due to how serious her injuries had been.

After the doctors left Luke turned to Liz and smile, "well that's good news, isn't it? You are going to be just fine. I better get going though."

"Going where?"

"Home."

"What am I suppose to do if you go home."

"Stay in hospital?" Luke asked confused, putting on his jacket from the back of the chair he had been sitting on.

"I'll have to leave you know, I don't have anywhere to go. What if Jack comes?"

"You are staying for a week Liz, I don't think I'll be able to come back up tomorrow but the day after I'll be back I promise. And if Jack comes, talk to him."

"Talk to him?"

"Well you are suppose to be married aren't you?"

"According to you we are getting divorced."

"According to him really."

"And why can't you come back tomorrow Luke, I was hit my a car. I lost my baby. I was in a coma, I could have died."

"I've got things to do ok? You are going to be just fine, I'll be back day after, some people are coming to see you about helping pay for your medical bills tomorrow remember? You'll be busy."

"Yes I know that, but what's so important that you can't come back."

"I am coming back, day after tomorrow. Listen Liz I've got to go, I've left my house and the diners phone number, you'll be ok by yourself for one day."

"Fine leave me then." Liz said dramatically turning away from her brother.

Luke rolled his eyes and left.

He arrived home early than he thought he would but still not early enough to see the kids before they went to bed, something he wasn't happy about.

"Hey." He greeted Lorelai who sat on the sofa in front of the tv.

"How are you doing?" Lorelai asked him concerned, looking at his tired face.

"Fine. Just Liz is a pain and I'm tired, sleeping in a hospital is not easy. Did I ever tell you how much I hate hospitals."

"No. Come on let's go to bed, you're exhausted." Lorelai rubbed his back and then stood up extending her hand to take his.

"Ok." He took her and and let her lead him upstairs, "you don't have to go to bed with me you know, it's not that late I don't mind."

"Nah you're ok, I'm exhausted too. Jess and Rory all evening 'wheres daddy' 'I want daddy' honestly I felt so unloved."

"I'm sorry."

"Not you're fault." Lorelai said getting under the covers next to him, "now go to sleep, you can see them in the morning they will be thrilled."

The next morning Luke and Lorelai were woken up by Rory coming into their room like they were woken up most mornings.

"Daddy!" Rory shouted with Joy launching herself at Luke.

"Hey princess." He said giving her a hug, "miss me?" He asked smiling at her as she clung to him and nodded.

"Daddy stay?" She asked him.

"I'll stay all day." He promised her kissing the top of her head.

"With Rory?" Rory asked.

Luke chuckled at her use of the third person, "Well Rory has to go to nursery today, but daddy will pick her and Jess up, how about that?" Luke asked her.

"No! Daddy stay with Rory all day." Rory said stubbornly sticking out her bottom lip.

"But Rory, What about nursery?" Luke asked her.

"Daddy's better than nursery." Rory said still pouting.

"I'm sure he is baby but daddy has to go to work." Lorelai finally spoke up rubbing Rory's back, "but he will pick you and Jess up, that'll be good won't it?"

"Then we have fun?"

Then we will have all the fun in the world." Luke assured her, "would you like some breakfast?" Luke distracted her.

"Ya!" She said happily.

"Ok, you go downstairs with mummy, and I'll get Jess up, ok?" He asked her sitting up and passing her over to Lorelai, who also sat up and left the room with Rory heading for the stairs.

Luke walked into Jess' room to see He was still asleep. "Hey buddy?" Luke said softly, stroking Jess' hair to wake him up.

"Daddy?" Jess asked confused.

"Yeah buddy, it's me, it's morning time, time to get up and have some breakfast and go to nursery."

"Daddy back?"

"Yeah I'm back." Luke lifted Jess out of bed and started to make his way downstairs, "so buddy, what do you want for breakfast?"

That day Luke picked Jess and Rory up from nursery a little bit early and brought them to the park to spend some time with them.

"So guys?" He said walking into the park, holding both of their hands, "Where to first?"

"Swings!" Rory shouted as Jess shouted, "slide!"

Luke chuckled, he knew he shouldn't have asked, "ok we can't do both first, Mummy isn't here so it's just me and we should stick together."

Both stared at him stubbornly until Rory cracked, "we can do slide first Daddy, and then swings after?"

Jess cheered and Luke smiled at her, "ok sweetheart, that's very kind of you, come on let's go."

Jess let go of Luke's hand and ran towards the swing, "Jess slow down, you are going to fall." Luke called after him walking towards him with Rory still at his side.

Just as he reached the steps to the slide he turned around to see what Luke had said but kept running and ran straight into the steps hitting his face and falling on his arm he started crying immediately.

"Geez, Jess, are you ok?" Luke dropped Rory's hand and ran over to him Rory followed him at a more controlled speed. Luke picked him up and saw that he had a nose bleed and a big cut on his cheek that was also bleeding and a lot of tears running down his face.

"Aww Buddy, come on, you'll be ok." Luke said rubbing his back and Jess pushed his head into Luke's shoulder, covering his top in blood and tears.

"Come on Rory," Luke said, "we've got to go home." Rory's eyes widened and she looked towards the swings. "I know princess," Luke said with sympathy, "but Jess has hurt himself, I need to get him home." Rory's bottom lip began to quiver, "Come on." Luke said holding Jess with one arm and stretching his hand out to Rory to take the other. Rory took it as tears ran town down her face, "good girl!" Luke praised her as he left towards the house.

On the way home, just outside the park Luke ran into miss Patty. "Oh my Luke, What have you done to these poor children?" She asked him seeing that they were both crying.

Luke rolled his eyes slightly, "Jess fell and hurt himself in the park, I've got to get him home." Luke said carrying on walking.

"Then why is Rory crying?" Patty pushed.

"Because I just told a two and a half year old she had to leave the park before she could start playing." He said not stopping.

He got home and put something on the tv for Rory to walk before carrying Jess into the kitchen. He sat Jess on the kitchen table and said, "right, lets see the damage then." Looking at Jess' blood and tear soaked face. He walked away from Jess to get a wash cloth. "No daddy, stay." Jess called after him, crying more.

"It's ok buddy." Luke returned to his side, "I'm just going to get a wash cloth, so I can clean your face and have a look, ok?" He asked him getting a nod he soaked a wash cloth in warm water and wrung it out.

He walked over to Jess and brought the cloth up to his face but Jess pushed it away, "Come on, Ive got to wash your face, to make it better." Luke explained, holding up the cloth again and this time Jess let him, crying as the cloth ran over his cut cheek.

Once he was cleaned up Luke could already see the bruising on the side of his nose and his cheek and what looked like a black eye forming. "I dunno bud, you might need to get that looked at." He put his finger below the cut, "it's quite deep and I don't like how your nose bled, is it sore?"

"My arm hurt." Jess whimpered out.

"Your arm? Which one?"

Jess pointed to his right arm with his left hand leaving the right arm hanging limp at his had a Luke at it and frowned, holding out his index finger near his right hand he asked Jess to squeeze it. Jess tried but it was too sore and he couldn't do it and started crying again. He held out his arm and Jess leaned into him and gave him a one armed hug. Luke put his arm around him and walked away so that Jess was still held to his body he picked up the phone and went into the living room to check on Rory who was still watching the tv. She sat down next to her earning himself a, "hi daddy!" And a smile which he returned. He look at the phone in his hand and hesitated before phoning the number to the front desk at the Inn.

"Hello, independence Inn, Lorelai speaking." Lorelai said down the phone.

"Hi Lorelai it's me," Luke began.

"Oh Luke, ha, I feel like an idiot doing the whole greeting to you, what's up?" She interrupted him.

"I picked Rory and Jess up from nursery early and we went to the park but Jess has hurt himself quite badly, he has a big cut on his cheek and he had a nose bleed, and he says his arm really hurts, I'm quite worried about it, it might be broken but I'm not sure so I want to bring him to be seen by a doctor." Luke explained the situation.

"Awww poor baby, how is he doing?" Lorelai asked.

"He's just sitting on my knee against me."

"Right, here's Mia here, it's almost 4 so I should be able to get away I'll come home now." Lorelai said then turned to Mia with the phone still to her face.

"Mia, sorry to bother you but this is Luke on the phone, Jess has had a fall and he hit his face and arm quite bad so Luke wants to bring him to the hospital, is it ok if I go home, I'll stay late tomorrow, just to stay with Rory so Luke doesn't have to bring her with him."

"Of course you can go Lorelai, don't be silly and you don't need to stay late tomorrow either, give him a kiss from me." Mia said walking past her.

"Thanks Mia, you're the best!" She smiled and her then turned to the phone still to her face, "Luke I'm on my way now." She put the phone down and grabbed her jacket and jogged to her car.

She came through the front door and went onto the living room seeing the three of them still on the sofa. Luke smiled at her and stood up still holding onto Jess.

"Oh Jess, baby." She said holding her arms out to him and he snuggled into her side. "Mama." He whispered to her.

"Yeah baby, I'm right here don't worry." She kissed the top of his head and shot a frown to Luke, "you should bring him now."

"Yeah." Luke agreed and tried to take Jess from Lorelai.

"No." Jess said and he started crying again.

"It's ok," Lorelai said giving him another kiss, "Daddy is going to bring you to the doctors and he is going to make sure you are ok." She explained but Jess just held onto her tighter, "no," he said, "mama!"

Lorelai frowned and looked at Luke, "we can't both go, we'll have to bring Rory too."

"It's fine," Luke said, "I'll stay here with Rory you bring him, you know what to say."

"Yeah he fell in the park hit his face and his arm and his arm seems really bad."

"Yeah basically."

"Do I just bring him to the emergency room?"

"Yeah." Luke said rubbing Jess' back.

"Ok." Lorelai kissed Luke quickly and then kissed the top of Rory's head before leaving.

She got outside and went to her car opening the back door she put Jess in his car seat, something he wasn't very happy about, "you have to sit here so that I can drive." Lorelai tried to explain to him as she buckled him in and then got into the car herself. The car moving seemed to calm him down but he was still crying a bit when they got the the emergency room.

Lorelai went in and explained the situation to the lady at the desk and was asked to take a seat and wait for triage. She walked over the the plastic waiting seats and saw a drinks machine behind her, one for hot drinks one fro cold. She got herself a coffee and then turned to Jess, "Do you want a drink baby?" She asked him and he shook his head against her shoulder so she sat down with him in her lap and started drinking her coffee.

Eventually, "Jess Danes." Was called from the side room so Lorelai stood up and walked them in there taking a seat where the nurse told her to.

"So what's the problem?" The nurse asked with a smile.

"Jess here fell at the park earlier on and hit his face and his arm, he said that his arm is really sore and my husband thinks it might be broken." Lorelai explained rubbing Jess' back as he didn't look at the nurse.

"Ok," the nurse said kneeling down in front of Jess, "hey, can you tell me how sore your arm is?" She asked him.

"It hurts." He said quietly.

"Ok, what about your face?" The nurse asked.

"It hurts." Jess repeated.

"Which one hurts more?"

"My arm." Jess got out before he started crying again.

"You're ok buddy." Lorelai said to him and she kissed his uncut cheek and rubbed his back as the nurse made some notes.

"Ok, I should be able to get the doctor in to see him soon, they will probably want to X-ray the arm. The cut on his face is quite deep, I don't think they will need to put stitches in it, it should just be some dressing but it's their call. I just need to ask you a few questions for our files before I get a doctor. First of all what's his full name and date of birth?"

"Jess Lucas Danes, 8th October 1984."

"Ok, and your full name and relation to Jess?"

"Lorelai Victoria Danes and I'm his mother."

"Ok thank you, and just one more, we have to ask this with anyone under 18, especially in injury cases like this, have you ever had contact with social services."

"Ummm, Yes, Not when my husband adopted him, but when I adopted him and my husband adopted my daughter, social services came round, but they said everything was good."

"Ok, so contact with social services for an adoption, ok. If you don't mind me asking why did you and your husband not adopt him together?"

"Oh well, we only met the night he and our daughter Rory were born, in the hospital. My husbands sister gave birth to him and left him with him and because he was family social services didn't need to come for his adoption but I adopted him before we got married so we weren't family yet." Lorelai explained.

"Ah ok, I'll go see if I can get you a doctor now." The nurse returned a few minutes later, "a doctor will be by in a few minutes, you just stay here." She said and left, leaving Lorelai alone with Jess until the doctor came in just over 15 minutes after the nurse had left.

"Ok," he said, startling Lorelai a bit who hadn't noticed the door open, "what seems to be the problem?" He asked taking a seat.

"My son here fell in the park and hit his face and his arm, my husband thinks his arm might be broken." Lorelai said briefly.

"Ok, let's have a look here." Lorelai turned Jess around in her lap to face the doctor who first touched his face causing him to cry as he touched his nose, "his nose might be broken, we don't like to X-ray young children's faces especially as there isn't really much we can do for a broken nose, so we won't know for sure but I think I'll stop it across. This cut, it's quite deep but some dressing should do if you can change it twice a day."

"Ok." Lorelai said rubbing Jess' back to try and calm him down.

"Now let's look at this arm." The doctor said. He did the same thing that Luke had done with his finger and got the same response of Jess crying.

"Ok," the doctor said standing up and walking to the door, "we are going to need to X-ray the arm, your husband might very well be right, it might be broken but we'll know for sure once we get the X-ray back." He left the room signalling for Lorelai to follow him. He showed them where to sit and then checked them in with the X-ray people before returning to them. "Alright," He said, "they'll call his name when they are ready and will sort you out from there. If it's broken they will cast him up then they will bring him into another room and a nurse will sort out his face. Because of the nature of his injuries, we will then have to ask you a few more questions on how they happened."

"Ok, thanks for all your help." Lorelai smiled at the doctor focusing on calming Jess down before his X-ray.

His name was eventually called and Lorelai walked him in.

"This is Jess?" Asked a stern older lady who was slightly over weight.

"Yes." Lorelai replied kissing the side of his head.

"Ok, could you please put this apron on him and then help us position his arm under the machine." She handed Lorelai the apron and then walked over to the computer as Lorelai put it on over his head then set him down on the table.

"Mummy, up?" Jess requested, his lip quivering slightly.

"No jess, you need to stay there for a little bit, we have to take a picture of your arm so you need to be a big brave boy and lie really still the way this lady tells you, ok?"

"Jess is a big brave boy." Jess said back with determination.

"I know you are," Lorelai smiled at him ,"but let's show the lady, ok?"

Jess nodded and the lady came back over. "Ok lie him back and out his arm under here." She instructed pointing to the moveable part of the X-ray machine.

"Ok Jessie, lie down." Lorelai said gently waiting for Jess to lie down, "good boy, now I know it hurts but you need to put your arm over here." Lorelai said gently tapping a bit of the table that was near his arm.

"No." Jess said leaving his arm where it was.

"You have to Jessie. Come on do it for me." Lorelai said gently, stroking his hair and Jess slowly moved his arm and started crying again. "Good boy, well done." Lorelai wiped his face free of tears, "you keep your arm just like that stay very still."

She then turned to the lady, "is that ok?"

The last looked at Jess and the angle he held his arm and nodded, "Come with me behind this screen." She said.

"Can't I stay with him?"

"No." She walked behind the screen.

"Jess I'm just going over there with the lady, you'll be ok here, I'll be back really soon." She kissed his cheek and followed the lady.

As soon as Lorelai left Jess sat up, "no mummy, come back."

"Oh for goodness sake." The older lady muttered turning to Lorelai, "get him back the way he was and make sure he stays that way this time."

Lorelai walked back over to him and knelt down beside him and whispered to him, "I'm still here, I'm just over there, come on, remember you are a big brave boy."

"I am a big brave boy." Jess repeated.

"Yeah you are. And big brave boys are really good and lie really still while their mummy's stand over there behind the screen. You can still see me." Jess lay back down and Lorelai helped him to put his arm back.

She returned behind the screen and the lady turned to her, "you aren't pregnant are you?" She asked.

"No I'm not."

"Good." The lady pressed a button and the first X-ray was done, "we are going to need his arm turned over for one more."

Lorelai walked over to him, "good job buddy. Just one more. You need to turn your arm over and then you are all done." She promised him running a hand through his hair and turning his arm over gently.

Lorelai returned to her spot behind the glass and the lady took the second X-ray.

"Ok thats us." The lady said, "if you could just wait outside where you were before, someone will call your name when we have the results shortly."

Lorelai walked over to Jess, "all done." She said with a smile helping him up and taking off his apron before carrying him back to the waiting room where he snuggled into her side.

A quarter of an hour later a kind young guy called Jess' name and Lorelai followed him back into a small room. "We have the results of the X-ray. His arm is broken but fortunately it is quite a small clean break so wearing a cast for 2 months should heal it up perfectly."

"Ok." Lorelai said slightly shocked that her baby was going to have a cast on for two months.

The guy lead them through to another room where he and another young girl put Jess' arm in a cast, the guy was even able to get a giggle out of him. At the end they let him pick what colour the outside of his cast would be. Lorelai wanted him to pick a nice bright colour but he picked a in Lorelai's opinion boring blue.

"Daddy's going to like it." Lorelai said with a small shake of his head, "Are you sure you don't want a fun vibrant colour?" Lorelai asked one last time.

Jess pointed back at the dark blue and Lorelai sighed, "ok then."

When they where done with the cast and his arm was in a sling a new nurse came in to dress his face and ask Lorelai about the incident.

"Can you tell me exactly what happened?" The nurse said once she was finished with Jess' face.

"I don't know exactly what happened I wasn't there. My husband took him and his sister to the park and he said that Jess ran off and tripped into the steps up to the slide, landing on his face and his arm." Lorelai explained.

"And your husband, has there ever been any other incidence of injuries when he has been in his care?"

"No! Luke is an amazing father, this was just an accident, Jess can get quite excited at the park, he was just running too fast." Lorelai was shocked with the line of questioning.

"So you wouldn't describe your husband as a violent man, he never lashed out at anybody?"

"No, not at all! Luke wouldn't hurt a fly, he's really sweet."

"Ok, sorry for asking those questions, I just have to so that it's on the record. You have had contact with social services before but speaking to the doctors, the symptoms line up well with your story and there aren't any other signs, Jess is obviously very comfortable with you so I don't think it will be necessary to report this to social services." The nurse said.

"Good, thanks. I understand." Lorelai smiled at her.

"Ok well that's everything, have you filled in your insurance details?" Lorelai nodded, "ok then, you are good to go."

"Thanks." Lorelai stood up with Jess and walked out to her car. She buckled Jess in and held his hand until he fell asleep then got in herself and drove home. When she got there she took a still asleep Jess in her arms and went inside.

"Mummy!" Rory greeted her a bit too loudly.

"Shhhh, jess is sleeping," She said rubbing Jess' back then smiled at Rory, "hey sweets, where's daddy?"

"Right here," Luke said walking out of the kitchen, "how is he?" He asked.

"Broken arm and they think broken nose." Lorelai gently passed Jess over to Luke so he could have a closer look at him, she then bent down and Rory ran over to her to give her a hug.

"His arm is in a cast." Luke said.

"He picked the colour out himself, it was so boring I said you would be proud." Lorelai rebased lifting Rory into her arms.

"Poor little man." Luke said gently, "I'll go put him in bed so he can sleep." Luke walked upstairs with him leaving Lorelai to talk with Rory about what they should have for dinner.

20 minutes later Lorelai was getting hungry but Luke hadn't returned back downstairs so she took Rory in her arms and walked upstairs to Jess' room. When she got there she saw Luke sitting in the floor next to Jess' bed watching him sleep.

"Hey." She sat down next to him letting Rory go play with the train set that was set up on the other side of the room.

"Hey." He said back.

"He's ok you know?" Lorelai asked him gently putting her hand in his shoulder.

"I know I just feel really guilty."

"Luke," Lorelai said his name to get his attention and make sure he was looking at her, "I told the people at the hospital and I will tell you know, this was just an accident it was not your fault. You have absolutely nothing to feel guilty about."

"What? Why did you have to tell the hospital it wasn't my fault? Did they like it was me?" He asked shocked.

"No they just had to ask to put it on the record, they knew I wasn't lying. Now come on me and Rory are hungry, run over to the diner and get some food, get something for Jess when he wakes up, I'll stay up here with him until you come home."

"Ok." Luke said giving Lorelai a kiss and then standing up and leaving.


	18. Chapter 18

The next day, a Friday, Luke didn't go back up to the hospital as Jess was still quite sore and Lorelai had to work and they didn't want to leave him in nursery when he was like that.

Luke had no way of contacting Liz to tell her that she couldn't come so he just hoped that she would phone the number he gave her so that he could explain. He was sure that she would understand.

Much to Luke's Joy, this also meant that he would not be missing Friday night dinner as he had previously thought.

In the morning Lorelai woke up before everyone else, something that was very rare. What was even rarer was that she didn't just go back to sleep, she got up and snuck into Jess' room where she sat next to his bed being careful not to disturb him.

When Luke was woken up by Rory, they noticed that Lorelai wasn't there. So with Rory in his arms Luke went in search of her. He found her slumped against the wall of Jess' room right next to his bed dozing half asleep. He shook his head with a smile and walked over to her still holding Rory who was playing with his hair that had grown slightly longer than he normally had it. He nudged her gently with the side of his foot waking her from her slump.

"He is Fine you know." He smirked at her nodding his slightly towards where Jess still slept.

"I know, I just came in to check up on him and I guess I dozed off."

"Ok," Luke said, "but you've got to get ready for work now if you are going to leave on time." He reminded her.

She pouted slightly but stood up, "ok you go make breakfast, I'll get him up and we will meet you down there." She kissed him briefly and rubbed Rory's back before pushing him gently in the direction of the door.

Once they had left she walked back over to Jess' bed and stroked his hair and whispered to him until he woke up.

Now awake he started whimpering slightly, partly from pain and partly because the cast was a strange and heavy this to wake up with on your arm.

"It's ok baby." Lorelai said lifting him up and setting him on her lap rocking slightly to calm him down.

"Come on let's go get breakfast." She said standing up once he calmed slightly.

"You aren't going to go to nursery today," she explained to him and she walked downstairs with him in her arms, "daddy is going to stay here with you and Rory while mummy goes to work and then when I come home we are going to go to grandma and grandpa's house."

She entered the kitchen and sat down after placing Jess in a seat of his own next to Rory, "grandma is going to love your cast." She said sarcastically.

"So Rory?" Lorelai asked as she quickly ate her food, distracting Rory from her own food, "any plans for today?" She asked getting her an eye roll from Luke.

Rory however took the question very seriously which caused Lorelai to smirk and she shovelled food into her house, "Tweenies!" Rory finally decided after several moments of thought and then dug back into her food earning another eye roll from Luke.

"You can't just watch tv all day." Luke told her causing her to pout.

"Come on," Luke said, "we have all day, why don't we do something fun?" Luke asked.

"Some would argue that the tv is fun and some would also argue that the last time you had fun outside didn't turn out well." Lorelai smirked at him.

"Not helpful."

"Hey," Lorelai held up her hands with a grin, "I don't know who these some are, no need to take it out on me." She said standing up and leaving to go get dressed and ready to leave.

"How about it?" Luke turned to Jess and Rory now that she was gone, "want to do something fun today?"

"I like fun." Jess said shyly, still uncertain of his cast.

Luke smiled at him and ruffled his hair, "Good boy." He said, "Rory?"

"Yes." Rory smiled at him looking up at him with wide eyes.

"Do you want to have fun today?" Luke asked her.

"Yeah!" She said.

"Good, now that we know that everyone wants to have fun we just have to think of something fun to do." Luke said drumming his fingers on his chin in thought, "any ideas guys?"

Rory looked thoughtful as Jess continued to eat his breakfast slowly with only one hand.

"Hot cold!" Rory shouted.

"Yeah hot cold!" Jess joined in.

Luke sighed, "ok." He said with some enthusiasm.

Lorelai returned to the kitchen ready for work, "so what's your fun you are going to have without me?" She asked pretending to be sad at the end.

"Hot cold!" Rory shouted again.

"Ah, hot cold, you do love that game," she smirked and stepped towards Luke, "they can play that for hours." She kissed him, "have fun with that." She said to him before going over to Rory and Jess to give them a kiss and a hug before she left.

After they tidied up from breakfast and got dressed they started their first game of hot cold. To play hot cold Rory and Jess stood in a corner with their eyes closed facing a wall usually giggling and Luke or Lorelai hid a small teddy bear somewhere in the room. They then turned the kids around and step by step told them where they were hotter or colder, getting closer or further from the hidden teddy. It was a game that they took very seriously and a game that as Lorelai had said they could and had played for hours.

By the time lunch time had come around they had played four games and Luke was glad for the break of Lunch as they were meeting Lorelai in the diner.

Jess had been ok all morning, but with the distraction of the game gone, he was starting to get cranky. Luke ended up carrying Jess in one arm and holding Rorys hand with the other as they walked to the diner.

They ate lunch with Lorelai, who got an in-depth description of all the games that they had played from Rory.

"Well it just sounds like you had the best morning!" Lorelai said smiling at Luke as he brought over their food and then sat back down with them to eat.

They started eating, but Jess was struggling and started to cry, "I can't do it." He said as tears ran down him face.

"It's ok buddy," Luke said picking him up and placing him on his knee, "I'll help you." Luke fed Jess before eating his own lunch.

Once Jess had finished eating Lorelai had too so she held out her arms towards him, "Come here baby, give mummy a hug." She said taking him off Luke so that Luke could eat his own lunch properly.

Once Luke had finished eating Lorelai had to go back to work which caused new tears to come to Jess' eyes.

"Come on, let's get you home." Luke said holding Jess close to him. He had planned to stay for half an hour or so and help out with the lunch crowd but that wasn't going to work out.

By the time they got home Jess was already asleep in Luke's arms so Luke put him in his bed and then came back down with Rory.

"What about you misses, are you tired? Do you want a nap?" He asked sitting next to her on the sofa.

"Nope!" She smiled.

"Are you sure? We are going to your grandmas house tonight so you will have to stay up late." Luke reminded her.

"I not tired." Rory said.

"Ok then, if you change your mind you let me know. What do you want to do?"

"Tweenies?" She asked.

"One episode and then we can play with your toys together, ok?" He asked getting a nod of her head he turned on the tv.

About half way through the episode the phone rang.

"Hello?" Luke answered it.

"You said you would come see me today, when are you coming?"

"Oh Liz, Hi, Yeah Sorry about this but I can't come today J-"

"You said you would come." Liz interrupted him.

"Yeah I know, I'm sorry but as I was saying Jess broke his arm yesterday."

"So?" Liz asked confused.

"So I didn't want to leave him in nursery so I stayed home with him and Rory."

"What about your wife?"

"Lorelai had to go to work."

"So when are you coming, I'm bored here and I have to stay for ages."

"I'll come up tomorrow, but Liz I can't keep coming up there, I've got to go back to work at some point."

"Ugghhh." Liz sighed.

"I'll come tomorrow, make sure everything is ok but after that Liz you'll be ok."

"Fine I'll see you tomorrow then." She said.

"Ok. And he is fine by the way thanks for asking." Luke said sarcastically then put the phone down and returned to Rory.

Lorelai came home to see Rory and Luke nothing lying on their front on the living room floor playing with teddy bears. Rory was laughing uncontrollably at something that Lukes teddy bear at said. Lorelai smiled and went to sit down next to them, "hey." She greeted.

"Hi." Luke said sitting up slightly as Rory just continued to laugh.

Luke smiled at Rory and then turned to Lorelai, "apparently Im really funny." He said.

"You're ok." She replied, "where's Jess."

"Still sleeping, he fell asleep just after lunch."

"We better get him up then or else he won't sleep." Lorelai said standing up and heading for the stairs as Luke turned back to a still laughing Rory.

That evening they went to the Gilmores for dinner.

As soon as Emily saw them she gasped, "what happened?" She asked looking at Jess who was in Lorelai's arms.

"Hi grandpa!" Rory ran up to her grandpa and hugged him.

"He broke his arm yesterday and is nose too. But he is ok, aren't you Jessie? You are being a very brave boy." She said and Jess nodded proudly.

"But what happened Lorelai?" Emily asked as they all walked into the living room.

"Luke brought them to the park and he ran into the steps for the slide and hit is face and his arm." Lorelai explained.

"You did this to him!" Emily said in outrage looking at Luke.

Before Luke could respond Lorelai jumped in, "no he did not! It was an accident, accidents happen." She said outraged glaring at her mother she put her half over Luke's.

"He should have been paying more attention, looking after them better. He didn't and now Jess is hurt." Emily insisted as Luke looked down at the floor guiltily.

"No mum," Lorelai said getting angry, "this is what happens sometimes, no body's fault. Children get excited in playgrounds and they fall over and they get hurt."

Emily made a face but didn't say anything and what followed was a very awkward silence followed by a tense dinner.

"I hate her." Lorelai said in a huff on the way home, "I'm not going back."

"Lorelai..." Luke said.

"No luke, what she said was unacceptable, she must have realised that at some stage because she stopped bringing it up but she didn't apologise or say anything along those lines. She accused you of hurting our son, she can't do that!"

"I know, she was just concerned for Jess, that's a good thing." Luke pointed out.

"Yes it is." Lorelai said loosing no hate for her mother at the moment, "but it wasn't your fault."

"I should have watched him closer, I should have told him to slow down quicker." Luke said sheepishly looking straight ahead at the road.

"No luke, it's not even slightly your fault, don't listen to her. It was an accident." She placed a hand on his leg and squeezed his knee, "if I thought anyone had hurt my little boy I would not hesitate to kick their ass, no matter who they were, you must know that." She smiled at him and was satisfied with the small smile she received back.

The next day Luke left for New York really early in the morning before any one woke up. He got to New York and into the hospital just as Liz was finishing her breakfast.

"Hey big brother." She said still eating.

"Hi," Luke grimaced as she saw inside her mouth as he sat down on the chair next to her, "how are you doing?" He asked.

"Jack came." Liz said.

"And..." Luke prompted.

"We're over." Liz said with some sadness in her voice.

"I'm sorry Liz, you'll meet someone one day and well you'll know." Luke tried to comfort her but felt a bit awkward.

"I thought I knew." She said quietly.

"Don't work there won't be any doubt at all, you'll know."

"Do you know?"

"I know." Luke smiled.

They sat in silence for a while until Luke spoke up, "I really don't like hospitals, they remind me of dad."

"Don't you like being reminded of dad?" Liz asked confused.

"Not dad in hospital no. I like being reminded of dad when I work in the diner where he worked. When I stand where he stood. Not when I think about him being sick in the hospital." Luke explained.

"Do you think he would have forgiven me?" Liz asked softly.

"Forgiven you?"

"For the way I acted, he was ill, he was dying and I should have been there for him making it easier for him but instead I ran around drinking, doing drugs, getting pregnant, making his life harder. I'm sorry Luke." Liz said through tears.

"He wasn't angry with you, he knew it was hard on you, you were so young. He was just worried about you he loved you so much. He asked me to take care of you, I'm afraid I've let him down there." Luke said looking at his hands.

"You haven't, you are always here for me, I know that. You were there when I gave birth to Jess, you were there to take Jess when I wasn't ready, you were here when I woke up, you've come to visit me. You even let me come to your wedding even though I never treated any of you well. You even came here despite your wife hating me and not wanting anything to do with me ever again. You are the best big brother ever."

"She doesn't hate you." Luke said softly.

"Really?" Liz asked not believing that at all.

"Lorelai doesn't really have true hate in her. She is just angry. You've got to understand that she was in a similar situation to you.."

"It wasn't the same." Liz cut in, "it wasn't the same, she had her mum and her dad if she wanted, she is smarter and stronger than I am. And she had you. You were wrapped around her finger the moment you met her, I know you Luke you don't move in with just anyone."

Luke smiled at that, "you had me too, at that time more than Lorelai did. But you are right, her life hadn't been easy but it hadn't been like yours."

"Life with rich mummy and daddy wasn't easy?" Liz asked sarcastically.

"No it wasn't, not for Lorelai." Luke said defensively.

Liz rolled her eyes but changed the subject slightly, "thanks for being there for me Luke."

"I will always be here for you Liz, you are my little sister, I've just got my own family now too, but I will always make time for you if you need me."

"Can I ask you a question?" Liz asked slowly after a moment of silence.

"Sure."

"Are you going to tell Jess who I am?"

"It appears you already did." Luke said dryly.

"Yeah but he won't remember that." Liz brushed off.

"We aren't going to keep it a secret, no. Same with Rory about Christopher."

"Have you ever met Christopher?" Liz asked tilting her head slightly.

"Once, briefly, he wanted to meet up with Lorelai, see what Rory was like a while ago, we all went. I understand how Lorelai feels around you, it's irrational really but there is an insecurity there."

"What was he like?"

Bit pompous I found. Daddy's little boy going to Princeton. But he didn't quite fit it. I dunno, Lorelai said he was fun when they were younger. I didn't see that, seemed a bit boring to me."

They sat in silence for a while until Liz spoke up again, "how did it feel to see her around him?" She asked and when Luke hesitated added, "if you don't mind me asking?"

"No it's ok. Do you mean Lorelai or Rory?"

"I don't know, both I guess." Liz shrugged.

"I trust Lorelai, they were friends, he will always have given her Rory. I didn't really mind seeing her around him, we both have ex's. If I'm being perfectly honest," Luke developed a slightly smug smirk, "it was kinda good to see how little Rory seemed to notice him. I kept her with me, she just wanted to go back to the park the whole time."

At lunch time, Luke got ready to leave.

"Keep in touch Liz, let me know where you are, ok?"

"Ok. And Luke, can you tell her I'm sorry, I didn't, well I'm just sorry, ok?"

"Ok." Luke nodded.

He arrived back in stars Hollow mid after noon and pulled up outside the diner, he planned to get some work done before he went home but was pleasantly surprised to be met with a "daddy!" As he walked into the diner and for Rory to launch herself at him.

"Hey, Princess, What are you doing here?" He looked around and spotted Lorelai and Jess at a table and walked over to them.

"Why are you here?" He asked giving Lorelai a quick kiss.

"Nice to see you too." She said with a smile holding out her empty coffee cup, "the service in here is terrible, letting a pretty young girl like myself go without coffee for so long, well it's a crime."

Luke rolled his eyes and took her cup and filled it up. Returning to the table he asked her again, "why are you here?"

"I just needed some coffee. We went for a walk after our lunch and to go visit the seen of the crime and then that mayor dude or whatever he is comes up to us and keeps going on about some statement that he needs about Jess' injury not just from me and you but also apparently from Jess, you know make sure our stories add up. Then he started going on and on about how children with injuries just don't look good for the town."

"Taylor..." Luke seethed with anger then looked out the window to see him walking out of his market. He stormed out and shouted across the street, "Taylor!"

"Yes Lucas?" Taylor said calmly.

"It's Luke and stay away from my son and my wife and my daughter to and do you know what stay away from me too. Anything remotely associated with the Danes name I want you to stay away from it got it?"

"Now Luke I think you are over reacting slightly, I've done nothing wrong as the recently appointed town selectman it is my duty to make sure this town has a good reputation. Now I'm sorry if your boy got a little upset but quite honestly Luke I think he needs to toughen up a bit. I mean running to his mummy when he doesn't want to answer a simple question."

"He is two years old Taylor! For goodness sake stay away!" He turned around and stormed back to the diner where Lorelai stood in the doorway with a smirk on her face.

"I hate that man." Luke whispered into her ear as he walked back into the diner with her following him. He stood behind the counter and with a quick glance to make sure Rory and Jess where ok she stood in front of the with a grin on her face.

"I've never been brave enough to shout at him before." Luke grinned back at her.

"Well you did good hun!" She looked over at Rory and Jess, "I'm going to take them home, see you later?"

"Yeah, I should probably stick around here for a while, I've got work to catch up with."

"'Kay, by doll," she walked over to Rory and Jess, "Come on guys, let's go home." She held out a hand to each of them.

The three of them walked up to the house all giggling.

"Mum!" Lorelai said shocked seeing her mother sitting outside her house, "what are you doing here?"

"I came to talk to you, to apologise for yesterday."

"Oh well, ok then, come in." She opened the door and her mum followed her inside.

"Jess?" She asked kneeling down in front of him, "is your arm still sore? Would you like to have a nap so you aren't really tired?"

Jess shook his head as he yawned.

"Come on." She said picking him up, "noooo mummy, I'm not tired." He started to cry.

"Sorry mum, I'll be too seconds, can you just watch Rory?" She asked running upstairs.

"How about you have a little nap in Mummy and daddy's bed?" Lorelai asked walking into her room, "would that be better?"

Jess nodded his head sucking his thumb.

"Ok baby, lie down." Lorelai set him on the bed and drew the curtains. She sat with him for the few minutes it took him to fall asleep.

"Sorry mum," She said coming back downstairs, "they don't usually nap at the weekends any more unless we have done something really exciting but with his arm he hasn't quite gotten over it and it is tiring him out." She explained sitting now.

"Yes, about his arm, I didn't mean to be rude or anything. You just have to understand where I was coming from. You say you left Jess and Rory May I add with Luke.."

"Their father." Lorelai added.

"And then he brakes his arm. That is very serious and I do love the boy so I was just concerned and just wanted to make sure that it wasn't anybody's fault."

"Mum you should have known it wasn't Luke for goodness sake, you see him with them every week, he loves them so much you must see that."

"Lorelai I just had to make sure you weren't making a mistake."

"So you were trying to control my life, just like you have always wanted to do, god mum I thought we were past that."

"Oh you're so perfect and I was so horrible. I put you in good schools. I gave you the best of everything. I made sure you had the finest opportunities. I don't want to here about how I was so controlling. Well if I was so controlling why couldn't I control you running around getting pregnant and throwing your life away." Emily yelled at her cashing Rory to get upset.

Lorelai walked over to Rory and picked her up rubbed her back and told her that everything was ok, "get out." She said harshly at her mum.

"Excuse me?" Emily asked her with raised eyebrows.

"I said get out." Lorelai clarified, "I will not have you come into my house and tell me how I threw my life away. Look around you Mum this is a life and it's a pretty great one too!"

Emily looked like she was about to say something but the took a deep breath and left.

Lorelai sank into the sofa with Rory hugged into her lap.

"It's ok sweetie, it's ok, nothing is wrong it's ok."

"Mummy?" Rory asked quietly, "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine sweet girl." Lorelai kissed the top of her head, "Come on I think we could all use a nap." She walked Rory upstairs into her bedroom and lay down with her next to Jess.


	19. Chapter 19

For the next week Lorelai was in a bad mood and there was nothing Luke could do to cheer her up. One lunch break as she always did she came into the diner, but without her usual spring in her step.

"Hey." Luke greeted her at the door with a kiss that she returned briefly and then went to sit at the counter. "What can I get you?" He asked her.

"Coffee and a burger, I'm hungry." She said.

"Ok but we are out of coffee." He told her with a straight face.

"That's not funny." She said.

"I'm not joking we are out, I can get you some tea if you want."

"Luke, I need coffee. Please tell me your joking. If you aren't joking I'm out of head to go find somewhere with coffee, I'll just go back to the Inn. Please Luke?" She stared at him with large eyes.

He stared back and eventually broke into a smile, "I'm joking." He said turning around and getting her some coffee.

"Not funny." She said grumpy, sipping her coffee.

"A little bit funny." Luke replied holding up his fingers really close together and he went to serve the young lady who had just walked in and sat at a table walking over he realised why she looked so familiar.

"Rachel?" He asked when he reached the table.

"Luke? Hi. Wow your own place I'm impressed!" Rachel smiled up at him from where she sat.

Luke chuckled, "well I already had the place and well you know.."

"It's impressive Luke, take a compliment. So how's life?"

"Life is great," Luke grinned, "I'm married actually, my wife is just over there at the counter," he nodded his head in Lorelai's direction, "and we have two kids. How about you, how are you doing?"

"Wow Luke Danes, family man, never saw that coming, well I'm travelling, my photography has really taken off a lot more than I could have hoped, I'm just in town for a few days you know visiting my folks and I saw the place."

"Well I'm glad you did." Luke smiled at her happy to see an old friend, "so what can I get you?" He asked.

"You were flirting with her!" Lorelai accused when he came back.

"Lorelai don't be ridiculous." He rolled his eyes and walked into the kitchen and started cooking her food.

"I'm not being ridiculous," Lorelai followed him into the kitchen, "You were there for ages, all smiling and laughing, you were flirting with her."

"Lorelai," Luke said turning around and grabbing her hands, "I know you are in a mood because of what happen with your mother but stop it. You know I love you. That girl is an old friend of mine from high school, I was just catching up with her. You are one of the first things I mentioned."

"So I'm just a thing now?" Lorelai mumbled moodily.

"Lorelai!" Luke said.

"Who is she?"

"Rachel."

"Rachel? Your ex girlfriend Rachel? Rachel who you lost your virginity to?"

"Yes." Luke said hoping that wouldn't be a problem but he didn't see it turning out that way, it wouldn't normally be a problem but Lorelai had been in such a bad mood after she had fallen out with her mother again after thinking everything was good between them.

"So you were flirting with her?" Lorelai concluded.

"No! Lorelai, love, please, I know your mother upset you. I'm angry at her too but please come on."

"Come on what Luke, I've told you I'm fine I don't care what my mother thinks." She said not meeting his eye.

Luke swore as he turned around and discarded the ruined foo that was suppose to be Lorelai's lunch, starting again he turned back to her, "look Lorelai, you aren't suppose to be in here, go back out there I'll be out in a few minutes with your food ok? We can talk later on at home."

Lorelai huffed and walked out but didn't stop at the counter and walked out and back to the Inn. Luke came out with her food a few minutes later and sighed when he didn't see her there.

"Alright there?" Rachel asked him.

"Yeah, I'm alright." Luke sighed in response not particularly wanting to get into a conversation with her now.

Luke had already organised to close the diner himself that night so didn't get home until late. The house was silent, the kids were long in bed and Luke went upstairs to see Lorelai in their bed. Rolled on her side Luke couldn't tell if she was asleep or not but he didn't care, he wanted to sort this out now so he turned on the lights and received a groan from her.

"Luke I'm trying to sleep, can't you just turn on a lamp or something?" She asked not turning to face him.

"No, I want to talk to you." Luke said sitting on the bed.

"Can't it wait until the morning, I'm tired."

"No Lorelai come on please." He asked her and she sighed and sat up and faced him.

"What?"

"You know what Lorelai. Come on talk to me. There is no reason to be angry with me. You know as well as I know that I was not flirting with Rachel."

"You are never that friendly with customers." Lorelai said lamely.

"That's because she wasn't just a customer she was an old friend. What did you want me to do? Not acknowledge her? Just take her order? Pretend I didn't know who she was?"

"No." She mumbled.

"Lorelai.." He said softly.

"I'm sorry Luke." She said tears springing to her eyes.

He crawled over the bed so that he was sat right next to her and pulled her against him, "Hey, it's alright." He said and held her until she calmed down.

"Why doesn't she love me. I thought she did for a while. I got my hopes up. Why am I so stupid?" Lorelai asked him looking very vulnerable and young.

"You aren't stupid." Luke said firmly, "and she does love you, how could she not, you are amazing. What did she say to you?" Luke asked her sure that this time she would tell him instead of dodging the question like she had been doing for a week.

"She said I threw my life away." Lorelai said quietly, "I thought she was proud of what I had become but she still thinks I'm a failure."

"You didn't throw your life away. You know that. I know that. And I'm pretty sure she knows that too. You have an amazing life Lorelai. You have two amazing kids and I've even heard you have a really hot husband who I know loves you very much." He said smiling at her.

She laughed, "he is pretty hot." She agreed before kissing him.

The next day Lorelai woke up in Luke's shirt wrapped in his arms with a smile on her face. When Luke woke up he looked at her and saw her still smiling.

"It's good to see you happy." He told her kissing the top of her head.

"I'm sorry i was such a bitch." Lorelai told him.

"Don't call yourself a bitch." He said, "and you weren't." He added.

"Oh I was," she laughed, "I was moody for over a week and took it all out on you even though you were nothing but nice to me. Then I accused you of flirting when I know Fine well you can barely flirt with me never mind some other woman and then I just leave the diner without saying anything and pretend to be asleep when you get home."

"I knew you were pretending." Luke said, "and I can flirt with you!" He said outraged.

"Oh babe, you try sometimes, if you are sure no one else could possibly here you but it's not really your thing." She said honestly with a smile.

"Hey, I think you are incredibly good looking!" He said in defence.

"I know," she smiled, "you showed me last night," she winked, "but that hardly counts as flirting now does it my love?" She asked him.

"How about..." Luke tried to think of a time that he had flirted with her in public, "ok maybe you have a point." Luke looked ashamed.

"Hey, don't worry about it." Lorelai kissed him, "I love you just the way you are." She was about to kiss him again but was interrupted by Rory coming in.

"Hey kid." She smiled at her and she climbed in up the bed with her and Luke.

"Hello." Rory said as she plopped herself down in between them.

"Lorelai could you bring her and Jess down to breakfast, I'll be down in two seconds." He whispered in her ear slightly red.

"Ummm, sure, why?" She asked him confused.

"I never got dressed again last night." He whispered back with raised eyebrows and a redder face.

Lorelai chucked, "Come on Rory, let's go get Jess and go downstairs for breakfast," she said getting out of bed, only wearing Luke's shirt she pulled on some underwear and lifted Rory up and left.

Luke joined them downstairs only a few minutes after they had arrived fully dressed. He kissed Lorelai again and kissed Rory and Jess on the head.

"You can go get dressed, I'll make breakfast, it'll be done when you get back." Luke said from behind her, getting stuff out for breakfast.

"Ok, I'll be back in a few minutes." She smiled at him and Luke was glad that her good mood seemed to be lasting.

Luke took the kids to nursery that morning and Lorelai went on to the Inn with the spring in her step back.

Half way to nursery Luke ran into Rachel as he was listening to Jess and Rory tell him about the toys they were going to play with and who they were going to play with.

"Hey Luke!" Rachel smiled at him, "Are these the kids you were telling me about? She looks just like her mother!"

"Yes they are and yes she does." Luke responded smiling proudly down at them, "I better get going, they have big plans today." Luke said as he walked on.

That lunch time Lorelai entered the diner with the spring still in her step. "I'll have a cup of tea please." She said sitting at the counter with a big grin on her face.

"Tea?" Luke asked, "Are you joking?"

"Of course I am," she laughed, "I want coffee."

"No." Luke said.

"What?"

"You said tea. You can have tea it won't kill you." Luke made her a cup of tea and set it in front of her.

"Luuuukkkkeee!" She moaned pouting at him.

"No that's not going to work." He told her.

"Fine." She said as she stood up and made to walked around the counter but he grabbed her.

"You can't go back there." He said turning her around and sending her back to her seat.

"Drink your tea." He told her going over to his other customers.

"Luuukkkee!" She followed him, "how could you?"

"Lorelai I'm working." He smirked at her and gestured towards her tea and took the customers order on his pad.

Lorelai went back to the counter and sat there with a pout, "Will you at least get me a burger?" She asked him when he returned for the coffee pot he wouldn't let her have.

"Sure you don't want a nice salad?" He asked smirking, enjoying himself greatly.

"Ummm no, don't even think about it mister." She warned as Luke continued to work as the diner was really busy.

Rachel came in just as Lorelai was starting her burger and looked around for a seat. There were no empty tables but a seat next to Lorelai at the counter. She sat down awkwardly and smiled at Lorelai who returned the gesture.

"Rachel right?" Lorelai asked once she had swallowed her food.

"Ummm Yeah." She replied uncertain of herself, she had seen how Lorelai had reacted yesterday in the diner.

"Hi, Luke told me about you. I'm Lorelai, his wife." She smiled.

"Yeah, Hi, Luke told me about you too. And your kids, I saw them this morning actually they are really cute."

"I can only agree with you there." Lorelai smiled at her as Luke came back around the counter.

"Can I get you anything?" He asked Rachel.

Rachel ordered her food and some coffee.

"That's not fair!" Lorelai said outraged when he gave Rachel coffee.

"What are you? Two?" He asked her.

"No, but it's not fair you gave her coffee."

"She asked for coffee."

"So did I!"

"No you asked for tea. I gave you tea." He looked at her cup, "and you still haven't drunk it." She smirked at her knowing how much this would annoy her.

"Luuuukkkkeee. Come on, I'll be really pretty."

"You already are really pretty." He pointed out and to his credit only blushed slightly.

"Ok fine I'll be really ugly then." She said.

"You want to look really ugly?" He asked her.

"No." She said deep in thought again.

"You couldn't pull it off anyway."

"That's the point Luke, no one can pull off ugly or else they would be ugly." She rolled her eyes and he walked off to serve other customers.

"What was that about?" Rachel asked smiling.

"He won't give me any coffee."

"Why not?"

"He doesn't like me drinking so much coffee so he always offers me tea instead. So I came in and thought it would be funny, boy was I wrong, to ask for tea. He has given me the stupid tea and won't give me any coffee."

"Why don't you just take the coffee?" She asked her smiling at the story.

"Because every time I try this happens," she stood up and went around the counter and before she could reach the coffee, Luke was by her side and guiding her back to her seat wordlessly before he disappeared again.

"Ah." Rachel said and laughed again. Her food was then put in front of her and the two girls didn't talk for a while.

"So how long are you in town for? Luke never said." Lorelai asked her.

"I'm just here for a few days to see my family, I'm leaving day after tomorrow." She replied.

"Where do you work?" Lorelai asked her.

"Well I was just in Argentina but I'm going to the Middle East next."

"Wow impressive." Lorelai replied with raised eyebrows, "I always wanted to travel, not like that just a little bit. Maybe to Europe or something. Maybe when the kids are older."

"Yeah well I could never stay in one place for too long, my childhood was long enough." Rachel paused, "Luke... he ummm he seems different." She said.

"Good different or bad different?" Lorelai asked.

"Good different, he seems happier more sure of himself then he did when we were kids."

"I'm glad," Lorelai smiled, "I like to think that he is happy with me." She smiled over at him and without thought he smiled back.

"That's plain to see." Rachel said looking over a Luke too.

Luke came back to the counter with a suspicious look on his face, "what's going on here? You better not be talking about me." He warned.

"Not you really, just how nice your bum is." Lorelai replied casually and Rachel laughed and Luke blushed.

"Well thankyou but stop." He said.

"I've got to go now anyway." Lorelai said standing up. Luke came round the counter and gave her a quick kiss, "you know go somewhere that will actually give me coffee." She grinned in his face and left.

Luke watched Lorelai leave with a smile and then turned around to see Rachel smiling at him. "What?" He asked her a little self conscious.

"Nothing," she smiled, "you are just different."

"Good different or bad different?" He asked her getting a laugh that he didn't expect.

"Good different, don't worry about it Luke." She said.

"Right ok." Luke said not entirely sure what had just happened.

The next couple of months pasted. Lorelai was still upset about what her mother had said and that neither her mother or her father had contacted her since but she was doing ok with it. Rory and Jess but especially Rory had asked a few times when they were going to see Grandma and Grandpa but the question was mainly brushed off. Jess got his cast off, something that he was very happy about and Lorelai hated seeing the little skinny pale arm next to the normal one and was doing everything she could to make it normal again. Luke and Liz has even kept in fairly regular contact.

The day was the one year anniversary of Luke and Lorelai's wedding. Lorelai woke up that morning with a kiss from Luke.

"Hey." She smiled at him.

"Happy anniversary." He smiled back kissing her again, this time for slightly longer.

"Wow, we have been married for a whole year, does it feel that long to you?" Lorelai asked leaning against him and sitting up slightly.

"Well kinda." Luke responded.

"How romantic." Lorelai teased him, "you were suppose to say that it feels like forever but just yesterday too."

"As illogical as that statement is it's kinda correct." Luke said with slowly kissing her neck.

"Yeah?" Lorelai asked him smiling as she moved her head slightly, giving him better access.

"Yeah, you know, in a way it's hard to imagine you not being in my life, in another way I can remember our wedding day like it was just yesterday." He said between kisses, "Rory and Jess were so young weren't they?" He asked.

"I know, they were only little babies really. Now they're little children." She smiled and moaned slightly when Luke kissed a certain spot.

"I don't think we have to worry about them moving out quite yet." He chucked against her skin and as if on cue Rory came into the room and ran towards their bed.

Luke back away from Lorelai slightly and patted the space next to him.

"Mummy! Daddy!" Rory shouted in terror as she ran towards then and launched herself between them, "there's a monster under my bed!" She hid between them pulling them both closer to her.

Lorelai smirked at Luke, "monsters aren't real sweets." She told her kissing the top of her head.

"Yes they are!" Rory insisted, slightly historical, "I heard it."

"Hey, calm down you are ok." Luke told her.

"No daddy! There is a monster! Under my bed!" She said as if the message hadn't be received properly.

"There isn't Rory, you are ok." Luke told her.

"No daddy!" Rory pleaded through tears, "there is!"

"Ok," Luke said trying to calm her down, "Do you want me to go check?" He asked her.

"No! You can't go in there alone, it might hurt you!" She hugged onto Luke.

Lorelai smiled at Luke. "You are very sweet but I think I will be ok." Luke told her getting out of bed. Rory hurried to hide with Lorelai.

"Be careful." Rory said hiding in her mother's side.

"He'll be ok," Lorelai promised her, "daddy's really scary, no monster will stand a chance."

"Daddy's not scary." Rory disagreed.

"Not to you sweets, but to anything that is making you scared or sad, daddy would be very scary." Lorelai told her kissing her head.

Luke returned, "there is nothing there Rory." He told her.

"It must have gotten scared and ran away." Rory said her eyes still wide with fear.

"Yeah." Luke agreed hoping that would be the end of the monster.

"And then it will come back when I'm alone." Rory concluded.

"No it won't." Luke said, "there is no monster."

"But daddy I heard it it was under my bed." Rory insisted.

"Rory it was just your imagination, I checked under your bed and in your wardrobe, there was nothing there." Luke promised.

Jess came in rubbing is eyes from sleep.

"Hi Jess." Lorelai smiled at him.

"Jess there is a monster!" Rory shouted.

Luke groaned as Jess ran to him and jumped into his arms very alert, "where?" He asked in fear.

"Listen both of you, there is no monsters. Monsters don't exist. I checked, there is nothing there." Luke said firmly with Jess in his arms.

"It could be hiding from daddy." Jess suggested with a serious look on his face causing Lorelai to giggle slightly at the look on Luke's face as Rory nodded in agreement.

"Can we go to diner for breakfast?" Rory asked.

Lorelai looked at Luke who shrugged, it was a Saturday, "ok," Lorelai said, "but we have to get dressed first." She said getting out of bed and bringing Rory with her. Walking towards her room Rory shouted, "no Daddy has to come, the monster is scared of daddy."

"Fine," Luke rolled his eyes and went to put Jess down. "Nooo, don't leave me." Jess shouted.

"Ok we will all go." Luke said and they all went into Rory's room to get her ready and then Jess' room to get him ready and then returned to Lorelai and Luke's room.

Luke grabbed his clothes and went to go to the bathroom to get dressed as Lorelai just got changed in the room. Now that they were older Luke didn't like getting changed in front of them but Lorelai still thought they were young enough that it didn't matter.

"Daddy, where are you going?" Rory asked suspiciously from the bed when he approached the door.

"I'm just going to the bathroom darling I'll be back in a minute, ok?" Luke asked hoping that would be ok.

"Can I come with you?" She asked.

"No sweetie, you stay with mummy here, I'll be back in a minute." He said ducking out of the room before she could protect any more.

They went to Luke's for breakfast but both Rory and Jess were hesitant to go home. "How about we go swimming?" Luke suggested.

"Swimming?" Lorelai asked him.

"Yes swimming." He replied laughing at her face slightly, "you did buy them those swimming costumes a few weeks ago." He reminded her.

"Yeah because they were cute and on sale."

"And as I've told you before and I'm sure I'll tell you again you don't just buy things because they are on sale you have to have a use for them too. So let's use them."

"We don't have any arm bands, they'll drown."

"They won't drown, we will be there and we can buy arm bands there." Luke pointed out.

"Swimming?" Lorelai asked again then brightened up, "can you wear speedos?"

"No. I will wear swimming trunks." He said then turned to Rory and Jess, "hey guys do you want to go swimming?" He asked them.

"What's swimming?" Jess asked.

"Swimming is, well you swim in water in a swimming pool." Luke said realising that swimming was actually quite hard to explain.

"Like a bath?" Asked Rory.

"No, not really. There is water but a lot more of it and you move around. It's fun. If we go I can show you."

"Will there be monsters?" Rory asked very seriously.

"Oh no, monsters can't swim." Luke said very seriously too.

"Ok then." Rory said and Jess nodded.

"Ha I win." Luke grinned at Lorelai, "we are going swimming!"

Lorelai smiled back at him, "ok then let's go guys, we need to go get our stuff."

On the way back Jess asked, "what if the monster has eaten our stuff?"

"Jess sweetie, there is no monster." Lorelai said gently, "you are perfectly safe in the house nothing will hurt you there."

They arrived at the pool and Luke took Jess to the male changing rooms while Lorelai took Rory.

When Luke was getting Jess changed and getting changed himself Jess was telling Luke all the cool things he was going to do in the water, Luke smiled at him and told him that sounded very cool as he put in his arm bands that he had just blown up then went out to meet the girls.

A few minutes after they had left the changing room Lorelai and Rory came out but Rory wasn't wearing her arm bands Lorelai was carrying them still deflated.

"Hey." Lorelai smiled sweetly at him holding out the arm bands.

Luke rolled his eyes at her but took them. "I did his in there and we still beat you." He pointed out causing Jess to say, "yeah boys win!" And Rory to look up at Lorelai.

"Don't worry about it sweetie, girls always win even when the boys think they do, don't tell them." She winked at Rory and then turned to Jess.

"Cool arm bands dude." She smiled at him causing him to lift out his arms awkwardly to show her. "And nice goggles Luke, very cool." She teased.

"I don't like getting water in my eyes." He defended as he took a small break from blowing up the arm bands.

"Can I go in yet?" He asked looking at the big pool next to them.

"No not yet, we have to wait for daddy to finish blowing up Rory's, come on why don't we go in the shower you are suppose to be wet before you go in." She said leading them both by the hand to the shower, moving slowly so that no one slipped.

Luke joined then a few minutes later and gently slipped the arm bands onto Rory's arms. "Why isn't your hair wet?" He asked Lorelai as he quickly stepped under the shower himself.

"I don't want to get my hair wet." She responded like it was obvious pointing to the bun on the top of her head with her free hand that wasn't holding on to Jess.

"You are going to get your hair wet you are going swimming." He pointed out.

"Can we go now?" Jess asked.

"Sure we can." Lorelai said walking over to the pool side.

Lorelai got in the pool first, very slowly using the steps then Luke passed Jess to her who was more eager to get in the pool. Luke then jumped in himself very elegantly and reached to the side and picked Rory up bringing her in with him.

"It's cold." Rory said grabbing onto him tightly.

"It's ok, you'll get used to it." He told her going over to stand on the side by Lorelai.

"Can I swim?" Jess asked looking at the other people in the pool.

"Probably not sweetie you haven't learnt yet." Lorelai pointed out, "let's just walk around first get used to the water." She suggested.

They walked around chatting away, Lorelai was very careful not to get her hair wet and Rory was still a little scared of the water and holding onto Luke more than was strictly necessary.

"Hey Rory," he whispered in her ear trying not to get Lorelai's attention when they found them self in a quiet corner of the pool.

Rory looked at him with wide alert eyes.

"Let's splash mummy and Jess." He suggested to her with a grin causing her to grin back. Luke crept up behind then and they both pushed water in their direction.

"Luke!" Lorelai shrieked her hair now very wet turned around to see Luke and Rory both laughing. "Oh you think this is funny," she grinned at them, "Come on Jess let's get them."

What followed was a water fight that left all four of the giggling. By the end of it Jess was floating by himself just by his arm bands and Rory was holding on considerably looser.

"Here," He said handing Rory to Lorelai and making sure that Jess was close enough to hold on to her too, "Do you want me to show you what swimming looks like?" He asked them.

"Yeah!" Rory and Jess said with excitement.

"Go on then." Lorelai smiled at him and he fixed his goggles and pushed off the side of the pool and did a length.

"Wow!" Rory and Jess said in amazement when he got back.

"You never told me you could swim." Lorelai said impressed when he came back.

He looked at her confused, "you thought I couldn't swim? It was my idea to come here."

"No I knew you could swim but I didn't know you could swim swim. You were actually really good." She praised him.

"Oh yeah well I was on my high school swim team."

"Course you were." Lorelai smiled, "were there any teams you weren't on?" She teased.

"Gymnastics." He said lifting Jess up, "Do you want to try?" He asked him.

"Yeah!" Jess pushed off Luke and tried to copy Luke's movements with no success. Luke grabbed him and brought him back to him, "whoa not so fast buddy. Come on let's go to the side, you can hold on and I can teach you to kick your legs."

Jess for reasons unknown to Lorelai looked excited at the prospect of being taught how to kick his legs, "You are going to be a sporty freak like your father aren't you?" She asked affectionately.

"I am not a sporty freak." Luke said defensively.

"You go on runs for fun regularly." Lorelai made her point.

"Like many normal people do. It's called exercise it's what normal people do to keep healthy and so that they don't get fat." Luke smirked at her.

"Are you calling me fat?" She asked outraged.

Luke made sure Jess was holding onto the fall and then stepped towards Lorelai. He put a hand on her flat exposed stomach. "Not even slightly." He said, "but unhealthy, yes definitely."

"I'll take it," Lorelai smiled and kissed him really quickly, "who needs health anyway?" She asked walking past him with Rory and standing next to Jess.

"Everyone. Everyone needs health." Luke replied going over to Jess and trying to teach him how to kick his legs properly. He ended up just getting splashed really bad, something that made Lorelai and Rory retreat and he even got kicked a few times himself.

"Try and keep your kicking underneath the water." Luke told him again but noticed that his kicks were rapidly slowing down and that he was getting tired. "Come on." He picked him up away from the wall and gently threw him a little bit away causing him to giggle and Luke to step towards him and pick him up again.

Luke looked for Lorelai and Rory and saw them chatting at a quieter corner of the pool. He walked over to them slowly. Throwing Jess a little bit and picking him up the whole way over.

"Having fun Jess?" Lorelai asked him as they arrived Jess in a fit of giggles.

"Hi mummy!" He smiled.

"Rory do you want a go?" Luke asked him.

"No too scary." Rory shook his head.

"Ok sweetie, but it's not scary, I won't let you get hurt." He told her taking her from Lorelai as Jess was now holding onto Lorelai causing her to struggle under the wait of two two year olds.

"My fingers are all pruny," Lorelai said holding up her hands to prove it, "let's go."

On the way out of the pool Luke held Rory at arms length and swirled her around causing her to laugh and make him promise not to let go of her.

They got out and on the way to the make changing room Lorelai heard Jess ask Luke, "did I do good?"

"You did amazing buddy." She heard Luke tell him as they disappeared.

Luke and Jess ended up waiting 20 minutes outside the changing room for Lorelai and Rory, "what took you so long?" He asked her as they walked back to the car.

"A lady can never be rushed." She said dramatically as she twirled with Rory in her arms causing her to giggle and Luke to chuckle.

"Of course not." He said placing Jess in his car seat as Lorelai put Rory in the car.

"We are out this way anyway, fancy going to sniffys?" Luke asked her as they pulled out of the parking lot.

"Looking like this?" She asked looking down at herself and touching her hair.

"Yes, looking like that. You just spent 20 minutes getting ready. Besides no one there will care what you look like and Maizy and a Bud will only care about them two."

"Very true, sure why not. Tire them out some more get some alone time tonight." She smirked at him.

"Definitely." Luke replied with a smile and put his hand on top of hers.

They arrived to Sniffys and Maizy remembering the date got them a booth and a glass of champagne each and then like Luke had predicted her and Buddy were all over the kids. This gave them a little bit of a lone time.

"Happy anniversary my love." Luke said lifting his glass, Lorelai mirrored his movement and lifted hers too. They took a drink and Luke made a face.

Lorelai giggled, "you really don't like champagne do you?" She asked shifting along the booth closer to him.

He put his arm around her, "not really." He replied setting the glass down.

"I should tell my friends about this place, serving people underage, I'd be very popular."

"I think you might be a special case." Luke pointed out.

"I am very special." She joked with a serious face.

"Yes," He said kissing her, "you are."

After they finished their meal and Maizy had given it to them for free as an anniversary present they went home with two very tired toddlers who both refused to fall asleep on the trip home.

"Come on, time for bed," Lorelai said entering the house, "you've had a very exciting day."

"Mummy?" Rory asked, "can I sleep with you and daddy tonight, I'm scared of the monster."

"Me too." Jess said.

"Can't you sleep in your own beds?" Lorelai asked them and they both shook their heads.

"How about you can both go to sleep in our room and we will stay there until you go to sleep and then we can move you into your own rooms?" Luke suggested and very quickly two little heads shook.

"No, please, I'm scared." Rory asked with big eyes.

"Alright," Luke sighed picking her up, "but you can't sleep with us forever." He reminded her, "just tonight."

"Ok." She nodded and Jess nodded too.

"Come on then." Luke went upstairs and Lorelai followed him.

Half an hour later they were both lying on their bed but with two sleeping toddlers between them, "well this isn't how I imagined this night would be." Lorelai sighed looking over at Luke who chuckled.

"Maybe we could just move them now, they wouldn't notice." Lorelai suggested.

"No Lorelai, that's cruel." He said.

"Here," He got up from the bed and walked over to his draws opening the top one he took out a small package, "I got you this, I was going to give it to you later on but we'll you know." He handed it to her.

"I looked into it," he said as she opened it up, "the first anniversary gift is paper and I didn't think you would really appreciate a piece of paper.."

"Good call." Lorelai interrupted him and she opened it up and took out a locket.

"So I got you this instead. If you open it up there are two little pictures from a wedding in there. The first one is just us and then there's one of the four of us. The photos are technically made out of paper too so there's that."

"Luke." Lorelai said rushing over to him and hugging it tightly, "it's beautiful. Thankyou. I got you a present too but it seems stupid now."

"You're welcome." He smiled at her and put it on around her neck. What did you get me? You didn't have to get me anything you know."

"And you didn't have to get me anything either." She blushed, "but you totally win, mine is far too mundane and practical whereas yours is sweet and romantic."

"What is it a Lorelai?" He asked her.

"Well, uhhhm you know the way you like to go on runs all the time for no apparent reason?" She asked him.

"I think it was touched on this afternoon." He replied.

"Yeah, and you know the way you said your shoes were rubbish and that you wanted new ones?"

"Yes." Luke responded seeing where this was going.

"Well I stole one of your old She's and brought it to the mall and got the guy to get better ones that would still fit."

"Ohhh cool!" Luke got excited, "let's see them."

Lorelai walked over to her wardrobe, "you don't have to pretend to be excited, I know it's a rubbish gift compared to yours." She took out the new shoes she had bought him and gave them to him.

He looked at them and grinned, "this is not a rubbish gift this is a really thoughtful gift. Do you really think I would like a nice piece of jewellery?" He asked taking one out for a closer inspection.

"No which is why I bought you something I thought you might like, even if it's not very romantic." She said coming back over to her.

He gave her a hug, "Well I really like them, I'll break them in tomorrow on a nice long run."

"Well now I know you are lying to me." Lorelai said with a grin.

"What?" Luke asked confused.

"The words nice long run they gave it away." She grinned, "no one in their right mind would call any run nice never mind a long one."

"Come here crazy lady." He said kissing her.

They went to sleep that night with Rory and Jess between them and the last words they said to each other before they fell asleep were, "I love you."


	20. Chapter 20

The next morning Luke was woken up by Rory tapping his face.

"What is it sweetheart?" Luke asked her still half asleep.

"I need the toilet." Rory whispered back.

"Ok, go then." Luke mumbled back confused as to why he was being woken up for this, "you know where to go." He told her.

"Come with me." She whispered back.

"Rory..." Luke sighed getting out of bed and then picking Rory up, "this is ridiculous, there is nothing to be scared of." He walked out of his room and towards hers, "come on I'll show you, you were asleep and imagining something."

"Noooo," Rory said seeing where they were going, "I need the toilet."

"Right ok." Luke sighed and brought her to the bathroom.

Rory came out and ran back towards Luke and Lorelai's room. "Not so fast missy." Luke said picking her up before she could get too far, "we are going to go into your room and you will see there is nothing wrong and tonight you can sleep there in your own bed like a big girl ok?" Luke asked her, "and you will tell Jess there is nothing there too." Luke added.

"But.." Rory started.

"Rory nothing can hurt you in here." Luke said kissing her cheek and turning on her light. "Where did you think you heard something?" He asked her.

"Under the bed." Rory replied holding tightly onto Luke's neck.

Luke walked over to the bed and sat down on the floor with Rory in his lap. He lifted up the side of the duvet and bent over so they could both see underneath the bed.

"There is nothing there." He said.

"It must have ran away." Rory reasoned.

"If it was there it would have left some evidence behind I promise." Luke said feeling underneath the bed, "nothing there, not a single hair."

"Ok.." Rory said leaning forward slightly to look under the bed herself.

"You all good?" Luke asked hopefully and stood up and threw her slightly in the air and caught her when he got a nod in response, "come on it's still early, let's go back to bed." He said carrying her back to his room.

Every night for a week Luke had to check the house before bed time for monsters and then sit with Rory until she went to sleep but Luke and Lorelai got their bed back.

The summer came and much to Lorelai's delight Sookie came back for her job in the kitchen. Every Thursday Lorelai left Luke with the kids and went to the town meetings with Sookie then after the town meetings they would usually go into Luke's and even though she knew where he was it still felt weird for Lorelai for Luke not to be there.

One Friday Lorelai walked into the kitchen as she knew that Friday was the day that Sookie had her lunch break at the same time as her. "Want to come to the diner with me?" She asked her.

"Sure!" Sookie smiled and tripped over her own feel on the way out the door.

They walked into the diner chatting about some rubbish, "Hey burger boy." Lorelai greeted Luke with a grin and a small kiss, "we want coffee and burgers please." She told him taking a seat with Sookie at the counter.

Lorelai and Sookie sat at the counter speaking to each other and giggling away.

"What are you giggling about?" Luke asked Lorelai as he refilled her cup.

"Thanks," she smiled at him, "we are trying to find Sookie a man, any ideas?" She giggled at him, obviously in a very good mood.

At that moment Kirk walked into the diner and Luke grinned, "how about Kirk?" He asked.

Sookie shouted, "no!" At the same time as Lorelai asked, "who's Kirk?"

"Hey Kirk." Luke said walking over to the table that Kirk had just sat down on.

"Hey Luke, would it be possible for you to make me some plain toast with the crusts cut off?" He asked, "I've had an upset stomach recently." He explained.

"Sure kirk." Luke said and before he could walk away Kirk added in a voice slightly too loud for Luke's liking, "the diarrhoea has been awful."

"That's enough information Kirk, people are trying to eat." Luke said returning to the counter.

"That's Kirk." He said quietly to Lorelai.

"Now what's wrong with him?" Lorelai asked Sookie with a sly grin.

"Ummm no." Sookie shook her head.

"Now Sookie that's just mean, you haven't given the poor boy a chance." Lorelai pointed out still grinning.

"I know Kirk and anyway I don't see you giving him a chance." She pointed out.

"I'm married," Lorelai held up her hand.

"Oh yeah." Sookie said realising that that wasn't going to work.

"And besides Luke's right over there, now would just be stupid." Lorelai started giggling again and Sookie joined in.

"I heard my name." Luke said.

"Oh just talking about how if I was going to cheat on you I wouldn't do it in the diner." Lorelai told him.

"Yeah that would just be stupid, I'd be right there." He played along.

"Exactly!" Lorelai grinned at him.

Luke set their food down in front of them and Sookie said, "I know a good question, would you rather only ever eat your favourite meal again or never eat it again?" She asked picking up the bun of the burger and having a look inside.

"Hmmmmm," Lorelai considered it eating her burger, "I don't have a very varied palette as it is but burger for breakfast even I've got to say that's a push and I would hate to become sick of my favourite food. But I guess if I did get sick of it it wouldn't be my favourite food anymore and then I wouldn't only be eating my favourite food."

"No favourite food from right now for ever even if you grow to hate it." Sookie said then glanced around, "distract him." She said nodding towards Luke.

"What why?" Lorelai asked as Sookie dashed towards the kitchen.

"Hey Luke What about you?" Lorelai asked in a panic when Luke turned around.

"Favourite food for ever or never again?"

"Easy for you." Luke laughed, "you basically eat the same thing everyday. But I don't really have a favourite food I couldn't live without so totally never again." He answered, "hey where'd your friend go?" He asked his eyes narrowing at her slightly, she looked a little guilty.

"My friend has a name." Lorelai stalled and turned around slightly and glanced in the direction of the kitchen just in time to see Sookie come out with her burger looking please with herself. Luke followed Lorelai's line of eye and also saw Sookie leave his kitchen.

"What was she doing in there Lorelai?" Luke asked.

"I dunno she just said distract him and ran off I had no choice but to obey." She held up her hands innocently as Sookie slipped back into her seat.

"You had plenty of choice." Luke told her then turned to Sookie, "why were you in my kitchen?" He asked trying to remain calm.

"I just wanted to add a little bit of seasoning." Sookie explained.

"She's a chef." Lorelai leaned on Luke's arm to explain.

"Not in my kitchen she isn't."

"She is very Sorry and will babysit for us to make it up to us." Lorelai tried as Sookie had already shown an interest in babysitting Rory and Jess on the walk over.

"Keep her out of my kitchen." Luke said as he walked off.

"Grumpy." Sookie said when he was out of earshot.

"Nah, He was just being Luke. He isn't really angry, just doesn't want to be seen as a push over who lets people into his kitchen." Lorelai explained taking a bite out of her burger, "but you will have to babysit." She added grinning.

"I already told you I wanted to." Sookie told her.

"Yeah I know, just don't tell Luke." Lorelai grinned knowing it wouldn't really matter if Luke knew or not.

The next day Lorelai was working at the desk as she did everyday when she saw Mia walk out of her office with Luke.

Luke and Mia chatted for a few seconds outside the door and then Mia walked further into the Inn and Luke walked towards the door.

"Wow Wow Wow," Lorelai said running after Luke, "first of all Hi, second of all when did you get here, third of all why were you talking to Mia?"

"Hi back, I got here about 15 minutes ago I'd say but you were talking to a customer and didn't see me and I was talking to Mia to see if you could get the middle two weeks in August off."

"Two weeks? Why?" Lorelai asked confused and getting slightly excited.

"Yep, when I was growing up we would always go to my dads family cabin for the middle two weeks of August, I thought we could continue on that tradition, load up the car drive up there, there's a lake and you can go fishing or swimming and it's quite warm so you could even sun bathe if you want, not that I could see the appeal to exposing your skin to that."

"Your father had a cabin next to a lake? You never told me that."

Luke shrugged, "thought I did. Anyway want to go?"

"What did Mia say?"

"Mia said the two weeks are ours if we want them."

"She's the best!" Lorelai squealed and hugged Luke tightly.

"I take it that's a yes." Luke chuckled hugging her back.

"Course it is, Rory and Jess are going to love it." Lorelai said stepping back to where she was before.

"I hope so I always loved it growing up." Luke said, "I better go, Josh is there by himself, Caesar is sick."

"Kay, bye." Lorelai kissed him, "we can talk about our holiday tonight."

"Oh just why you're here," Luke added, "was Sookie serious about babysitting?"

"Yeah..."

"Is she free tonight?"

"I'd have to check but I don't know that she isn't free."

"Go check and tell me when you come in for your lunch, if so I'll have something planned."

"Ohhh very exciting, a holiday planned and a night out what did I do to deserve this?"

"Bye." Luke kissed her.

Lorelai glanced back over to the desk, no one was there and no one was around as it was a very empty mid morning.

"Sookie!' Lorelai ran into the kitchen.

"Yeah?"

"You free tonight?"

"Yeah?"

"Want to babysit?"

"Sure, what's the occasion, Luke just asked me and I said I'd ask you, anyway I better go back to the desk now."

"No details?" Sookie asked.

"No details to tell. I'll chat to you later." Lorelai promised as she returned to the desk, making sure to thank Mia the next time she came through the lobby.

That evening Lorelai was putting on some make up as Luke sat down stairs with Rory and Jess who were already in their pyjamas.

"Mummy's friend, Sookie, is going to come and look after you and put you to bed while me and mummy go out, ok?" Luke explained to them.

"And then you come back?" Jess asked him.

"Yes and then we will come back."

"When we go to sleep?" Rory asked.

"Yeah you'll be asleep but we will be there when you wake up like normal, you'll have great fun with Sookie I promise." Luke said and then went to get the door and led Sookie through to the living room.

"Thanks for doing this." He told her.

"No problem," she smiled at him, "hey guys." She smiled at Rory and Jess, "where's Lorelai?" She asked Luke.

"Upstairs getting ready ever so slowly." Luke responded.

"Mind if I go up there for like two seconds, I just want to ask her something."

"Sure, just don't take forever and tell her we are going to be late." Luke sat back down with Rory and Jess.

Sookie ran upstairs into Lorelai's room.

"Luke, What do you think blue or red?" She asked turning around with two pairs of earrings in her hands, "Oh Sookie, Hi, I thought you were Luke."

"Blue, so what's the story hear? And Luke says hurry up by the way."

Lorelai brushes off the last comment, "story?"

"Yeah why So last minute?"

"Oh yeah sorry about that." Lorelai grimaced, "if you have somewhere to be.."

"No no, it's good just wondering why."

"Dunno Luke just turned up at the Inn earlier on today, asked Mia if I could have two weeks in August off, which she gave me by the way, and then when we were chatting asked if you were free to babysit tonight." She responded with a shrug putting on her shoes, "kinda romantic actually."

"Or guilty." Sookie pointed out.

"What?"

"Sounds guilty to me. Totally out of the blue. Wonder what he has done?"

"He hasn't done anything. Or he better not have." Lorelai said standing up, "Come on Luke's right we are probably going to be late."

After saying goodnight to Rory and Jess and thankyou to Sookie one last time Luke and Lorelai left.

As they were driving out of stars Hallow Luke said, "you look very nice tonight."

"What did you do?" Lorelai asked in response.

"What I said you look nice so I must have done something?"

"No but I was telling Sookie how sweet and romantic it was of you to randomly spring a two week holiday on me and then take me out to dinner just us. Sookie said it sounded more guilty than romantic."

"What do you think I did?" Luke asked curious as to what she would come up with and if it would be close to the truth.

"I dunno. If I did I would either already be mad at you or you know if it wasn't bad not mad."

"Ah Yes." Luke hoped to stall the conversation until they were in the restaurant.

"So did you do anything? Is this sweet Luke or guilty Luke?"

"Can't it be both?" Luke asked.

"So guilty. What did you do?" Lorelai sat back in her seat.

"It's really not that bad. I'll tell you in the restaurant ok, so I can tell you the whole story without having to concentrate on the road too much."

"Fine." Lorelai huffed slightly, looking annoyed at him.

They got to the restaurant and took a seat, "spill." Lorelai said.

"Well you know the way Liz and I have been keeping in touch more recently..."

"Why does this have to be a Liz story." Lorelai sighed.

"Well anyway I was telling Liz how I planed to ask Mia to give you time off to go up to dads cabin for a couple of weeks. And well Liz said, she said that she would also really like to go up for a few days. And well I felt sorry for her and I might have said that I would ask you if she could come down to the cabin for a few days with us, not the whole time just a few days."

"So holiday was sweet Luke and dinner was guilty Luke?"

"Pretty much."

"I dunno Luke, she is your sister and that does mean something. I think I would be ok with it just for a few days, I'd be fine, it's been long enough but what about Jess, do you think he remembers her? What if he reacts like he did before, I don't want that to happen. He doesn't remember our wedding I know that much but his freak out was after our wedding."

"He doesn't remember our wedding?" Luke asked.

"No well he doesn't remember the photos I showed him." She said then grinned, "Why? Are you offended?"

"I think he would be ok if you were ok with it." Luke said, "we will be there the whole time, he shouldn't remember it that well, I'm surprised he even remembered her when he did have his freak out."

"Yeah exactly, seems to have a bit of a memory there."

"He hasn't mentioned her in so long, even at night, like last week when he had his nightmare and he was telling us everything scary that was in it, Taylor was there but she wasn't." Luke pointed out.

"True. I guess she can come for a few days then, but if something happens.."

"We are out of there." Luke promised her.

"Good now let's enjoy our meal, we never get to eat just us."

"You know I'm not joking when I say red meat can kill you." Luke said as Lorelai's food was placed in front of her.

"I know, but cow is really yummy." Lorelai said then loaded up her fork, "try it."

"No thanks, I value my life thankyou very much."

"My life is perfectly safe thank you very much."

"For now, you are still young. Wait until we are all old, your arteries won't survive it."

"Oh well something to look forward to." Lorelai grinned eating the food from her fork as Luke rolled his eyes and ate his own food, "what do you think we will be like when we are old?" Lorelai asked Luke curiously.

"Wrinkly."

"Ewwww gross. No thankyou."

"Not sure that's how it works. We will be all wrinkly and grey and your eating will have finally caught up with you."

"You saying I'm going to be fat."

"Maybe we can get you one of those reality shows. They can show pictures of you from when you were young, all perfect and skinny and then old you can come on and say I eat the same amount now as then and then it can be an educational show where they explain how metabolism slows down with age."

"Yeah pass on that. Anyway you've seen my mother, it's all genetics, you hardly think she works out or does anything healthy. You have married incredible genes."

"Genes with a coffee addiction." Luke pointed out.

"Incredible genes." Lorelai repeated.

"Hey do you remember that conversation we had just after our honeymoon?" Lorelai asked Luke as she ate the chocolate cake she had ordered with two forks so it looked like it was for both of them but Luke would never touch it.

"The one I think you are thinking about?" Luke asked her.

"Yeah that one."

"I remember." Luke smiled at her.

"Good," she smiled back, "still good on that?"

Luke continued to smile at her, "I'm still good on that. Four years we said just over a year ago. So just under three to go."

"Three years seems like a long time to wait." Lorelai said, "I miss having a baby."

"Rory and Jess are still babies really but I know what you mean. It does seem like a while but practically we will probably want to move to a bigger house, won't want to move with a little baby. You do have a more stable job, what's the maternity like on it. You couldn't bring a baby to work there like you could as a maid but I could have the baby with me until it is old enough for the nursery." Luke thought out loud.

"Mia is really decent with maternity, she gives six months 60% paid then an option for a 3 month extension pay free. But you are right we should have a bigger house. We should start to save. I don't see why if we sort out the house, which will take us a while, we can't try a little earlier than planned."

"Yeah?" Luke asked with a grin.

"Yeah, you know Rory asked me the other day if she was only having a brother or if she could get a sister too because one of her friends got a new sister."

"That's cute, what did you tell her?"

"I just told her we would have to see. For now Catherine is just for us." Lorelai promised him looking into his eyes.

"Catherine." Luke repeated.

"I don't want to leave our house, I like it. It's were we moved just after we met you. A proper rebellion, it's where we fell in love." Lorelai frowned.

"Yeah but we have to. We will always remember the house and what happened within it and we will still be in love."

"I know, I just don't want to leave it behind."

"I know, but you'll end up liking the new house more. And no before you ask we cannot keep the house as a side house, we cannot extend the house we have no where to extend into and we cannot all just squeeze in." He added with a grin knowing how her mind worked.

"Hmmmm," Lorelai said how trying to find a way around his conditions for fun, "can we dedicate it as a museum to the start of our lives together and Rory and Jess' babyhood?"

"Not sure how popular that would be."

"How about we find some people interested in money laundering and launder the money through the house?"

"Do you know how to launder money?"

"Not exactly but I could learn."

"So what do we do?" Luke asked on the drive home.

"What now? Wanna do something dirty?" Lorelai asked.

"Well yes, but that's not what I meant, do we save money up for a deposit then look around or do we look around as we save?"

"I guess we just look around casually until we have enough saved up and then we go from there." Lorelai shrugged, "now back to that dirty thing..."

When Luke and Lorelai got home Sookie was snoozing on the couch with the tv still on.

"What do we do?" Luke asked.

"Is this We're I make the dirty joke again and we make out?" Lorelai asked hopeful.

"No, do we wake her?"

"I will, you go check on the kids, make sure they're asleep, I'll be up in a minute." Lorelai walked toward Sookie and turned off the tv.

"Hey sweetie." Lorelai said waking up Sookie gently, "you fell asleep, you can sleep on the couch if you want." Lorelai whispered.

"No that's ok, I'll just go home." Sookie said with a yawn, "so how was your date? Was it sweet Luke or guilty Luke?"

"Bit of both, but I've got to admit I'm leaning towards sweet."

"Ohhhh guilty! What did he do?" Sookie whispered loudly.

"Well you know that holiday I told you about, it's to his dads old cabin and Luke used to go up there with his family every year until a few years ago and he was telling Liz about his plan to go back for the same two weeks that they always used to go on and Liz asked if she could come for a few days."

"No! You said no right."

"No I didn't, it's only a few days we will be there for two weeks."

"Lorelai!"

"It'll be fine, Jess probably won't remember her, I'm going to speak to him just to make sure but he will be fine with us there. And I'll be fine too."

"You said if you never saw her again it would be too soon." Sookie pointed out.

"I know but I was angry. She is Luke's sister, and she's had quite a rough time, she's all by herself, well she's had boyfriends that she has told Luke about but they aren't consistent week to week. Anyway when Jess gets old enough to understand I don't want him to think that I'm really petty and never let Liz see him if she wanted to. You never know Jess might want to get to know her and that's fine, she is Luke's sister anymore, it doesn't seem fair to lock her out and throw away the key." Lorelai explained.

"Yeah I guess, but you are a bigger person than I am. That key would so be gone." Sookie said standing up.

"Was everything ok here?" Lorelai asked her as she walked her to the door.

"Yeah, they are soooo cute!" Sookie gushed as she reached the door.

"I know!" Lorelai said as Sookie went through the door, "thanks again for doing this for us, we really appreciate it!" She said after her.

"No problem, I loved it!" Sookie said as she tripped down the stairs slightly.


	21. Chapter 21

The night before they left for the cabin Lorelai was packing her stuff as Luke wanted it all ready to go so they could leave early in the morning. Eventually she was finished and started lugging her luggage downstairs.

"What's all this?" Luke asked walking into the hallway where Lorelai had left her stuff.

"My stuff, you said you wanted me packed tonight."

"No."

"What do you mean no?" Lorelai asked confused.

"I mean no way. We are going for two weeks there is no way you need this much stuff, how do you even own this much stuff, I honestly don't think I own this much stuff."

"Luke we are driving we can bring as much as we want."

"Not that much, half it at least."

"Half? Do you want me to walk around naked?" She asked outraged then saw his smile, "don't answer that."

"Half at least, half will still be far to much. You know it's going to be really warm there, that's why we go in the summer."

"I know. So?"

"So you only need clothes for warm weather, maybe one normal set of clothes but you can wear them up. And you don't need 14 outfits, you can rewear outfits. Even 14 outfits wouldn't take up that much space, how much have you packed?"

"I wanted to have options." Lorelai mumbled.

"Seriously? No, go fix it."

"Luke it won't do any harm."

"We won't have room to store it and you won't touch half of it and it will just make the car cramped and heavy."

"Luke come on."

"That one and that one." Luke said pointing at the biggest one and a medium-small one, "and that in generous."

Lorelai frowned but an hour later she was back with the luggage he had suggested and another small bag, all stuffed with clothes.

They left early the next morning and arrived at the cabin early that evening, it was a trip that neither Lorelai or Luke would suggestion should be taken with toddlers.

They went inside and Lorelai was really impressed, it was a lot bigger than she was expecting it to be.

Luke was giving the three of them a tour. He showed them the downstairs that was really nice and spacious and then showed them upstairs where there were 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. He showed them the twin room Rory and Jess would be sleeping in first.

"This is going to be where you two sleep." Luke said sitting their bags inside the door, "this is wear I used to sleep when I was a little boy and I came here." He explained as they each jumped on a bed. Luke was thankful that there were no arguments about who got Which bed.

"This was the room my mum and dad would sleep in." Luke said leading them into the room next door, "I guess that's were we will be." He smiled at Lorelai.

"If you would rather take another room Luke that's ok." She smile back.

"Nah this is the only one with a double bed in it." He said.

"We can squeeze onto a little bed, it will be nice and cosy." Lorelai smiled at him.

"No we will stay here." Luke said.

"Only if you are sure."

The next morning they all got up early and after breakfast they went outside and drove 5 minutes to a place where you can rent a boat for the day.

"Let's get the little swan pedalos they are so cute." Lorelai said pointing off to the side.

"You want to pedal all day or you want to sit on a boat all day?" Luke asked.

"Good point."

20 minutes later they all had life jackets on and they where being brought out to their small boat. Luke who had done this every year with his dad knew exactly what he was doing.

Before they knew it they were out on the water.

"Wow Wow Wow Wow Wow, missy." Lorelai said grabbing Rory as she ran to the edge of the boat, "don't run, if you fall you might fall into the water and you could get hurt." She told her gently with one arm around her stomach. With the other arm she reached out to Jess, "Come here mister, I don't trust you for a second." She looked at him and saw the mischievous look she was expecting.

"Hey Luke," she shouted up at him, "come sit with us."

They sat together on the boat on the water for hours, playing silly games or trying to explain silly games that where just to complicated so they went back to the easier silly games.

"I guess eye spy is just too hard when you don't know your alphabet." Lorelai concluded after trying to explain it.

"We could do it with colours," Luke suggested, "I spy something red."

"Yeah!" Lorelai smiled, "ok guys, someone says I spy something and then the colour it is and then everyone else has to guess what they are hinting at and you can't change it when someone guesses what you meant."

"For example," Luke said seeing the confused looks as they tried to process that, "if I said I spy something blue I could mean the sky or the water or that bucket." Luke said pointing at the blue bucket over to the side.

"I spy something red!" Jess said.

"Now we have to guess what Jess is looking at that is red and if we get it we get a go." Lorelai said.

"A crab." Lorelai guessed, Jess shook his head.

"A buoy." Luke guess and at the three confused faces he got he added "the thing floating in the water." Jess shook his head.

"Luke that isn't a boy you idiot," Lorelai laughed, "it's just a piece of plastic."

"Yeah I know, a sea buoy, not like a little boy, b u o y."

"Oh."

"Daddy's T-shirt?" Rory guessed and Jess shook his head.

The guessing went on for a while until Lorelai had to guess it correctly, Jess had been staring at a piece of red rope the whole time and Lorelai and Luke had been running out of red things to guess. Somehow Rory always seemed to find something else that was red to guess.

"Is it that rope?" Lorelai asked innocently pointing at the rope Jess had been staring at.

"Yeah!" Jess said impressed that she got it.

"Ok my turn , I spy with my little eye something that is yellow."

"The sun." Rory got it in one.

"Good job sweetie! Your turn."

The game went on until lunch time when they ate their preprepared lunches they brought with them.

After lunch Luke got his fishing stuff out and Rory and Jess sat either side of him watching him intently as he to,d them about fishing and they waited for a fish to bite, something that they were both certain would happen despite Luke telling them it wasn't too likely.

Lorelai who had no interest in fishing lay on the deck, sunbathing, happy that the kids where safe.

By dinner time and the time they had to return the boat they had miraculously caught not one but two fish that Luke had decided would be dinner.

Just because Jess and Rory are amazing fishers," Lorelai said as they all got in the car, Rory and Jess swelled with pride, "doesn't mean you have to punish me by making me eat fish."

"I'm not making you do anything." Luke countered.

"Oh good, I was hoping you were joking what are we doing instead."

"No I'm making fish, you are welcome to eat it or not."

"Luke!"

Luke just smirked at her.

Lorelai leaned close and whispered so that only Luke could hear, "if you aren't careful, I'll tell her that the food you want to make is her little friend from earlier on."

"Don't." Luke said louder, "fish is good for her, unlike all that red meat you eat."

"Fine but can we at least get a good sauce?"

"Sure we can stop at the store on our way back."

Later that night Luke and Lorelai walked down the stairs after putting Jess and Rory to sleep. Luke walked over to a draw and started looking through it.

"What are you looking for?" Lorelai asked walking over behind him.

Luke kept looking and pulled out a deck of cards, "5 card draw?" He asked.

"Oh," Lorelai gapsed running over to the arm chairs next to the small coffee table, "you're on!"

Luke walked over and took the other seat and felt out the card.

Lorelai fumbled through them, "hmmmmm," she considered, "give me four." She said flowing four onto the table.

Luke dealt out four more. Lorelai picked them up and made a face, "four more." She threw them back.

"You can't have four more. Those are the four I dealt you."

"Well those don't help me and I have vowed to remove all negativity from my life. Like the lettuce from dinner and now these four cards."

Luke rolled his eyes but gave her four more anyway.

"Oh much better, thankyou!" She smiled at him and he just rolled his eyes.

Many games latter Lorelai groaned, "how are you so much better at this than me? Why are I the lucky one?"

"It's not luck," Luke chuckled, "You are just really really bad."

"Hey that's mean!"

"A few hands ago you got a really good hand and told me what it was."

"I was excited ok?"

"Last one, it's getting late." Luke said as he went on to win the hand.

"Do we have monopoly here?" Lorelai asked as they walked up to bed.

"Yeah, we've got loads of board games."

"Well tomorrow night we are playing monopoly because I am really good at monopoly and I want to beat you."

"Ok," Luke laughed, "but I must remind you I own my own business and I'm not too bad at it myself."

"I am going to win." Lorelai replied.

"I'm not going to let you win."

"You better not. My victory will be righteous."

"Ok crazy lady." Luke yawned getting into bed.

The next day they spent the whole day at the cabin or rather the area just outside the cabin next to the lake. There was a small sandy bit round to the side where they used buckets to build a huge sand castle.

"Can I jump on it?" Jess asked in the late afternoon.

"Nooo!" Rory cried out, "You can't ruin it, it has to stay forever."

"It won't stay forever, it might stay for a few days, but not forever." Luke told her.

"No."

"Yes Rory," Lorelai said gently, "but that's ok."

"No." Rory crossed her arms.

"Can I jump on it?" Jess asked again.

Rory started to cry. "No Jess, don't ruin it." Lorelai said putting her arms around Rory.

"It's ok sweetie. How about this, how about everyday that we are here we come out and fix it up, we can make it a little better every day until we go home." She suggested to them.

Rory nodded and Jess said, "then we can jump on it."

"Just before we go home." Rory said to Jess and he nodded in agreement.

"Good girl." Lorelai kissed her cheek.

On the way back inside Luke whispered in her ear, "we are doing the stupid sand castle everyday now are we? And getting sand everywhere?"

"Yep." She grinned at him turning around and walking backwards, "isn't that fun?"

"Loads of it." He said sarcastically and then did a weird dance, "it's everywhere." Lorelai laughed at him and then went inside.

That evening they did play monopoly, it was a long game and a close game but Luke just about best her.

"No fair, you were cheating!" She accused him as they went up to bed.

"No I wasn't."

"You were the banker, the banker has it easiest to cheat he has all the money."

"I was the banker because when I asked you if you wanted to be the banker you said and I quote, 'the banker? Ewww, no.'"

"So you admit that you were over eager to be the banker?" Lorelai asked him.

"Liz is coming tomorrow." He changed the subject.

"I know."

"Are you ok with it still?"

"It's a bit late not to be."

"Lorelai..."

"I'll be fine Luke, I promise." She kissed him softly.

The next day shortly before lunch Liz did in fact show up.

"Hey big brother." She said walking into the house and seeing them all sat in the kitchen.

"Hey Liz." Luke said standing up to help her with her bag.

"See Lorelai only one bag." He pointed out.

"Well She is only staying for a few days we are staying for to weeks in proportion she has more than me." She said to him and then turned to Liz, "Hi Liz." She said civilly.

"Hey." Liz said looking at the floor.

"As I've told you before, we have a magically thing called washing stuff, that means you don't need new clothes for each day."Luke said as he disappeared up stairs with Liz following him.

"Mummy?" Jess asked looking slightly uneasy, "who's that?"

"That's daddys sister, sweetie." Lorelai explained, "Are you ok?"

"Yeah mummy." Jess said coming over to her and climbing onto her lap.

"You sure? What's up?" Lorelai asked him kissing his head.

"Dunno." He said leaning against her.

"Ok. Well you are ok. Daddy and I are just here, ok?" She asked him and he nodded, "Good boy!" She kissed his head one more time.

"Mummy can we have lunch now?" Rory asked.

"In a minute sweets, daddy will make it not me, he'll be back in a second with Liz then we can all have lunch."

Luke and Liz came back downstairs and Luke made them all some lunch.

"Liz?" Rory asked once she finished eating catching everyone's attention, "Are you really daddy's sister?"

"Yeah."

"Why?" Rory asked her looking confused.

"Why am I his sister?" Liz asked looking equally confused.

"That question doesn't really have an answer sweetie." Lorelai told her.

"Oh." Rory said, "daddy?"

"Yes sweetie."

"Can I have a banana?"

"Sure you can." He said and went and got her one, "Jess do you want one too?"

"No." He said then when Luke sat down said, "daddy?"

"Yeah buddy?" Luke replied half expecting to be asked for a banana.

"Can I draw a picture."

"Sure you can, Lorelai did we bring any paper or anything?"

"Yeah I did, I'll go get it." She ran off up the stairs and came back with a wad of paper and a pencil case that held colouring pens.

"Here you go," she said setting them down in front of him on the now cleared table, "now remember, on the paper and nothing else." She told him running her hands through his hair.

"Rory?" She asked, "do you want to draw too?"

"Finish puzzle." She said pointing to the jigsaw puzzle they had started that morning, "Come on then." She held out her hand towards her.

"What are you drawing?" Liz asked Jess and Lorelai froze but didn't say anything.

"Secret." Jess said as he didn't look up from where he was concentrating on the page.

"Ok." Liz laughed a little. She stood up from the table, "I'm going to go unpack."

Luke walked over and sat next to Lorelai, "you alright?" He asked her quietly.

"I'm fine Luke." She smiled at him, "and you don't need to ask me every two seconds either, trust me if I have a problem you will be the first to know."

"I know, I was just checking. And I only asked you once."

"I know, just thinking about the near future."

"Ok crazy lady," he kissed the side of her head and went to sit back up with Jess.

Liz came back down when Rory had finished her jigsaw puzzle.

"Dinosaurs." She said looking at the puzzle.

"It was all in little bits and I put it together to make a picture!" Rory told her proudly.

"Yeah, a jigsaw." Liz said sitting down.

"Mummy, i drew my picture." Jess said excitedly running over to her.

"What is it?" She asked him as he ran straight into her.

"It's you." He said giving it to her.

"Couldn't you tell?" Luke asked smirking.

"Oh yeah of course! Thankyou babe I love it." She gave him a hug and a kiss, "very well done."

"I love you mummy." Jess said.

"I love you too baby." Lorelai hugged him again.

"Can we go fix our castle?" Rory asked.

"Yeah of course we can." Lorelai said.

"Go get your shoes." Luke told her sitting down next to Liz. "We are going to go outside, you know to the mini beach, if you want to come." He offered.

"I would hardly call it a beach." She said, "but sure I'll come."

"I didn't call it a beach, I called it a mini beach." Luke said as Rory returned with her shoes and he put them on her feet.

"Still a bit generous."

Luke just didn't respond but threw Rory up in the air slightly and caught her to make her laugh.

"Come on." And they all went outside to the small sandy area.

"The side fell down!" Rory said pointing looking shocked.

"That's alright sweets we'll just build it up again." Lorelai reminded her as Lorelai, Jess and Rory got to building the castle back up again Liz and Luke sat to the side slightly watching them.

"Is she always like this?" Liz asked Luke quietly so that the others couldn't hear.

"Lorelai."

"What do you mean like this?"

"So energetic, so... motherly."

"Yeah, Lorelai is an amazing Mum." Luke smiled as he looked at them playing, "the best."

"Oh." Liz said then added, "That's good."

"It is." Luke agreed then turned to look at her, "you know I meant what I said before, she doesn't have it in her to hate. She's already coming around, trust me."

"Ok."

They went back to watching the three of them play until eventually Jess ran over to them, "daddy, come see, it's really cooler than before." He grabbed his hands and tried to drag him towards the castle.

"Alright, Jess I'm coming." Luke got up and walked over to the castle with Jess, "and it's more cool not cooler."

"Wow!" He said when he got there, "good job."

Jess and Rory beam with pride, "come on," he said, "let's go inside, it's getting late and you should have a bath before dinner, you are all sandy." He held out his hands and the two of them took one each and they all went back to the cabin.

When they got to the door Luke got Jess and Rory to jump so that they shook off the worst of the sand that was still on them.

They went upstairs where there were two bathrooms. Liz went into the smaller one and Luke started running the bath in the bigger one for Rory and Jess.

After they were finished in the bath Luke took them to their room while Lorelai showered and then they swapped and Lorelai stayed with them while Luke showered.

After a tense dinner and evening Luke and Lorelai put Rory and Jess to bed with a story. After they were asleep Luke and Lorelai remained sitting on the floor for a few minutes.

"How is it going for you?" Luke asked her in a whisper.

"It's ok." She whispered back, "a little tense but to be expected. I never asked you how you felt about this?"

"She's my sister."

"I know that but how do you feel about it."

"I have to look after her. I'm all she's got."

"I know." Lorelai said and then sat silently, letting Luke carry on.

"I guess you are right, it is a bit tense but it is ok. Sometimes I just want to yell at her but I can see she is trying. She's not a very bright girl, not her fault just fact, it can take her a while more to catch on than is normal." Then after a brief pause, "it's a miracle that Jess is as smart as he is. He is only two I know but you can see it in both of them they're bright. They're switched on. Jimmy was about as stupid as Liz was."

"Come on let's go downstairs, it would be good for Jess when he is older and he understands what happened to make us his mum and dad that we be on good terms."

"Yeah." Luke stood up and took her hand and they walked downstairs.

"Hey Liz?" Lorelai got the attention of the girl sitting on the sofa reading a trashy magazine, "want to play scrabble with us? The last two nights we have been playing games and by some stroke of luck Luke has managed to win both nights, but he has no chance with scrabble my vocabulary is way better than his." She rambled slightly and Liz shrugged and said, "sure."

They set up the game and started playing, it became pretty obvious fairly quickly that Liz was going to be coming last and throughout most of the game Lorelai held a small lead.

"No Lorelai." Luke said as she laid out a word about half way through the game.

"That is a word!" Lorelai said in outrage, "you just don't want me to get triple points." She accused.

"Chutzpah is not a word, take it off." He replied.

"Get a dictionary." Lorelai said.

"It's not a word, you can't just make words up.

"Get a dictionary." Lorelai repeated.

"Use it in a sentence."

"Get a dictionary."

"We don't have a dictionary." Luke smirked, "so unless you can use it in a sentence..."

"We do have a dictionary." Liz smirked at him and walked over to the book case and returned with one handing it to Lorelai.

"Ha! Chutzpah, extreme self confidence or audacity!"

"Let me see that." Luke snatched the dictionary from her hands.

"Uh Luke I heard you tell Jess just a few hours ago no snatching, I'm going to have to put hypocrite on this board." Lorelai said and Liz giggled.

"Extreme self confidence or audacity, how appropriate." Luke said sarcastically setting the dictionary aside and holding out the bag of letters for Lorelai to pick from.

"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that." Lorelai smirked at him and he winked at her.

At the end of the game Liz, predictable came last and Luke beat Lorelai by one point.

"No! How?" Lorelai said looking at the scores.

"You beat me by quite a lot." Liz said trying to be comforting.

"Yeah but I wanted to beat him. He must of cheated."

"He just got lucky." Liz said.

"Yeah I was more skilled he just had a few lucky draws, it could happen to anyone."

"You keep telling yourself that." Luke smirked at her.

"What other games do we have here, there has to be something I can beat you at. Do you have risk?"

"Whats risk?" Luke asked her tidying up the board, "we don't have many other games."

"Risk is amazing. We are buying it at the shops tomorrow we need to go anyway. You have armies of different colour and you have to take over the world. I'll explain it better when you can see the board."

"Maybe I'll just read the rule book." He suggested, "you know before I beat you." He smirked at her.

"I'm going to win." Lorelai said with a yawn standing up.

"Maybe." Luke said putting his arm around her shoulder and kissing her head, "maybe not."

"Night Liz." He said as they walked upstairs.

"Night." She replied.

When Luke and Lorelai walked into the room Luke closed the door and pushed Lorelai up against it gently and started kissing her. After a few minutes he pulled away.

"What was that for?" Lorelai asked him as they stayed in the position against the wall.

"Wasn't for anything." Luke said shaking his head, "just wanted to kiss me wife." He said leaning in towards her.

"Well whenever you feel the need, let me know." She smiled and then closed the gap between then again.

The better part of an hour later they pulled on their pyjamas just in time for Jess to come in, "Can I sleep with you?" He asked already climbing onto the bed.

"Course you can buddy." Luke said helping him up.

"You alright?" Lorelai asked him running a hand through his hair as he settled down against her side.

Jess nodded, "just woke up and wanted to sleep with you."

"Alright, go to sleep then, it's late." Lorelai kissed the side of his head.

The next day at the end of lunch Lorelai gasped catching everyone's attention.

"Luke." She said grabbing his arm and dragging him out of the kitchen, leaving Jess and Rory a long with Liz for the first time.

"What is it?" Luke asked her once she finally stopped walking.

"I was thinking about last night." She said as if that explained something.

"Ok. And..."

"And about what we did after we went to bed."

"Ok. And..." Luke repeated smirking slightly.

"And you didn't use a condom." She whispered at him.

"I'm sure I did."

"You didn't, think about it."

"No I definitely did." He said then paused and ran upstairs. He came back down to were Lorelai still stood and shook is head.

"Yeah..."

"Now what?" He asked her.

"I guess we wait." She said leaning against him.

"How could I forget?" He asked.

"I guess I'm just that irresistible." Lorelai joked.

"Yeah that's it." He kissed the side of her neck gently.

"Hey, that's what got us here in the first place." She joked, "Come on let's go back in, act natural."

They returned to the kitchen to see it as it was before.

"Sorry," Luke said, "Lorelai wanted to errrr.." he tried to think of something, cursing himself for not being prepared, "tell me something." He said, well that was the actual truth.

Lorelai rolled her eyes at him acting natural and Liz gave him a weird look but said, "ok."

That night after a game of risk that Liz almost won because Lorelai and Luke where so distracted, but Lorelai got the victory, something she was very happy about, Luke and Lorelai went to bed.

They lay in the dark facing one another.

"So when do we find out if..."

"I'll take a test when we go back home, any sooner and it wouldn't say anyway."

"When are you suppose to you know.."

"You can say period Luke. And end of next week, so about the same time."

"Right."

"Will you be disappointed?" She asked.

"If it's not..?" Luke responded, "a little." He admitted.

"I don't know which one I want." Lorelai admitted. "On the one hand it's our little baby." She smiled, "on the other hand it's too soon."

"I know, but we would be ok." Luke put his hand on her side and she scooted closer.


	22. Chapter 22

The rest of the time at the cabin went really slowly for Lorelai and Luke. When Lorelai didn't get per period at the end of the next week they stated to look at each other hopefully.

"It's been late before." Lorelai kept telling herself and Luke.

They agreed to do the pregnancy test when they got home. They arrived home late at night so the next morning Lorelai left for work early so that she could drive to the next town over to pick up some tests, the last thing they needed was for the town to start gossiping. The plan was to take it after work. Originally they were going to take it during Lorelai's lunch break but they weren't entirely sure how they would react to the news, either way, so didn't want to have to straight back to work.

"Now remember," lorelai said kissing Luke goodbye that morning, "act natural."

"How was your trip?" Mia asked as soon as she came in the front door that morning.

"Oh it was good." Lorelai said trying to act as natural as possible.

Mia gave her a look, "Come with me." She said gently and walked into her office. "Is everything ok?" She asked sitting on the sofa.

Lorelai sat down next to her, "Yeah everything is fine." She said panicking slightly that she had been found out.

"Is it Liz? Did something happen?"

"No," Lorelai said sincerely, "Liz was fine, she only stayed a few days, I think she just needed a break."

"Ok, then did something happen with Luke?" Mia asked her.

"No." Lorelai said not meeting her eye.

"Lorelai... if something is wrong you can tell me." Mia said gently taking one of Lorelai's hands in her own.

Lorelai didn't know what was wrong with her but she started to cry, "Nothing is wrong I promise."

"Then why are you crying sweetie?" Mia asked gently.

"I think I'm just a bit hormonal." Lorelai said.

"Hormonal? You aren't pregnant, are you?" Mia asked her.

Lorelai swore in her brain and shrugged.

"Lorelai?"

"I don't know, maybe. I haven't taken a test yet. But you can't tell anyone." Lorelai said eyes wide.

"Ok. Does Luke know."

"Yeah. There might not even be anything to know but yeah."

"Ok." Mia gave her a hug, "you'll be ok, either way. And you know I give a pretty good maternity leave here." She laughed and Lorelai nodded.

At lunch time Lorelai and Sookie were walking over to Luke's.

"Are you sure you are ok?" Sookie asked her, "you've been quiet all morning."

"I'm fine, just a bit tired." Lorelai brushed off.

"So tell me how was Liz?"

"She was fine."

"Fine?"

"Yeah She was fine."

"Ok... what about the rest of your holiday."

"It was good. We spent a lot of quiet time together, just the four of us. We went on some boat trips, and played in the sand and Luke is annoyingly good at card and board games." Lorelai said as they walked in, "Hey, go get a table I need to speak to Luke." She told Sookie who said, "ok." And took a seat at an empty table.

"Mia knows." Lorelai said cornering Luke as he left the kitchen.

"Knows..?"

"Knows what might be."

"How?"

"I accidentally told her."

"You accidentally told her?"

"Yes."

"Right ok, do you have the..?"

"Yeah I've got a few, I finish at 4, why don't I go pick up Jess and Rory and then come by here, we can go home and do it then."

"Ok." Luke said and Lorelai went back to her table.

"That was very secretive." Sookie giggled.

"What was?" Lorelai asked sitting down.

"Your whispered conversation in the corner."

"Nah it was nothing." Lorelai brushed off as Luke poured her coffee.

She drank it and noticed but knew she couldn't say anything in front of everyone so had to stay quite.

"What can I get you?" He asked them shooting a smirk at Lorelai who glared at him.

"You didn't have a problem with me drinking coffee at the cabin, not more of a problem than usually." Lorelai pointed out to Luke before she left, "don't get weird about this." She warned him.

Luke just kissed her and said, "I'll see you at 4."

Lorelai Rory and Jess walked into the diner just after four.

"Can I have a snack?" Rory asked Luke.

"Ummm no." Luke said picking her up, "you can have something at the house." He told her leading the way to the car outside.

They got home and Lorelai put some kid show on the tv so that the kids would stay and went up stairs. Luke followed her up and stood outside while she peed on all the sticks. She then opened the door and Luke came in and they waited for it to be time to check.

"You ready?" Lorelai asked him.

"I have no idea." Luke responded, "Do it anyway."

She picked one up and gasped, "it's positive."

"Positive as in pregnant?" Luke asked.

Lorelai nodded and Luke kissed her.

"You're pregnant." He whispered to her pulling away slightly and Lorelai grinned at him.

"Let's check the other ones." She did and they were all pregnant.

"No one can know." Lorelai said, "it's too early."

"Ok." Luke kissed her hand and smiled at him, "when do we tell people?" He asked, Liz had just told people as soon as she found out, which was quite late into the pregnancy anyway.

"Well I'll have to go to the doctors first of all, they'll tell me how far along I am but I think we already know that. We cam tell people when I am 12 weeks. Im probably about 4 now. Then we can find out if it's a boy or a girl when I'm about 20 weeks." Lorelai told him with a smile.

"Right." Luke said nodding taking in all the information, "4 weeks? That's not right, it was 2 weeks ago."

"It's not measured from then, I thought that too, it's measured from two weeks before then for some reason, when the egg leaves or something, I don't really know." Lorelai told him.

"Right." He repeated then grinned and placed his hand on her stomach, "You're pregnant!" He whispered to her.

"I know!" She grinned back and kissed him, "we aren't ready at all." She laughed.

"Ah well," he shrugged off, "we were hardly ready for the other two."

"Very true." She giggled, "we'll be ok, we better start stepping it up on that deposit though."

The next day Lorelai walked into work with a smile on her face. Mia caught her eye and raised her eyebrows in question. Lorelai nodded still grinning and Mia smiled at her 'congrats' she mouthed across the room. 'Thankyou' Lorelai mouthed back with a smile and a small blush.

"Why are you so happy?" Sookie asked her later on.

"It's a lovely day." Lorelai said as she all but skipped along as they walked to Luke's.

"Ok." Sookie giggled at her friends happiness but liked it a lot better than the quietness from the day before.

"Did I tell you about that date I went on?" Sookie asked her.

"No! Tell!"

"Well it was aweful. He was kinda weird and conversation was dry all through dinner. Don't even get me started on what he ordered, it was like a child's meal. And to top it all off he was pretty terrible in bed."

"Sookie!" Lorelai said.

"What?"

"You had a terrible date with the guy and you still slept with him?"

"So, well he wasn't that bad. He just looked like he should have been better." Sookie said and Lorelai started to giggle. That lead to them both giggling as they walked into Luke's.

"Hey." Lorelai said kissing Luke through her giggles.

"What's got you so happy?" He asked smiling at her leading her over to a table.

"Nothing." She smiled back, "coffee please?" She asked him.

"Lorelai a word?" He signalled off behind his curtain.

"Sure." She shrugged then turned to Sookie, "I'll be right back. Luke wants a word." She said and finished with a small giggle left over from earlier.

"What?" She asked meeting Luke begin the curtain.

"Coffee?" He raised his eyebrows at her.

"Seriously?"

"Yes Lorelai seriously, it's bad enough you drink it, it could do terrible stuff to our baby." He said.

"Our baby." She smiled at him.

"Yeah our baby, who we don't want to ruin with coffee."

"I drank coffee when I was pregnant with Rory."

"And she looks a little crazy when she smells it. No two year old should ask for coffee as much as she does."

"She's fine."

"She is but the next one might not be so lucky." Luke looked her in the eye, "please." He said.

She sighed, "Fine. But if you think I am going 9 months without a drop of coffee you can think again."

"Have decaf." He offered her, "not Laos's of it, just little bits."

"Right Fine, I'll have a little bit of decaf coffee." She said fake gagging, "but I am having some real coffee too. Not now, I'll wait a bit but I will be having some." She warned him.

He kissed her, "I'll get you some decaf, but only have one, I'm sure that's not too great for you either. And you should cut down on red meat and eat healthier."

"Luke! You are driving me crazy already, stop worrying I am fine. Anyway I ate that apple this morning."

"I know you did." He told her, "please?" He asked looking into her eyes.

"Luke," She said sitting down on the step, "I'm fine, the baby is fine, our two babies at nursery are fine, you are fine. Everyone is fine. You don't have to worry."

"I know. It's just everyone is fine until they aren't."

"Luke stop it. I'm suppose to be the weird hormonal one not you." She pointed out.

"You are the hormonal one." He smiled at her, "you ate an apple."

"See, i am being healthy. And you are going to give me decaf. Speaking of which we better go out or people will wonder what we are doing in here." She wiggled her eyebrows at him.

"Geez." Luke said running a hand over his hat, "ok come on then." He kissed her quickly then helped her up and out back into the diner. Getting her decaf coffee.

"What was that about?" Sookie asked before Luke made it to the table.

"Luke is just being a weirdo." Lorelai said as he arrived and smiled sweetly at him.

"Thanks." He replied gruffly.

"Anytime babe." She smiled at him and he left.

Sookie laughed, "what did he want?"

"Nothing really." Lorelai brushed off and then changed the subject.

"What do you think, boy or girl?" Lorelai asked Luke that night as they lay in bed with his hands on her still flat stomach.

"I have no idea." Luke chuckled into her ear.

"That's why it will be a guess and not just a fact you are sharing." She teased back.

"I can't pick. What do you think?"

"If you aren't going to pick I'm not going to pick." Lorelai replied.

"Ok then, guess we aren't going to pick." Luke said, "not that we could pick anyway."

"We have the doctors tomorrow." Luke said after a small pause.

"Yeah, you know you don't have to come with me it won't be very exciting." Lorelai told him rubbing his hand that rested on her belly.

"I know, but I want to come." He told her then added, "unless you don't want me to come, that's fine."

"Of course I want you to come but if you have a busy day or whatever you don't have to worry about it."

"Nope, I told josh I wasn't going to be in tomorrow until the afternoon."

"Didn't he ask why?"

"I just told him it was none of his business." Luke said matter of factory causing Lorelai to giggle.

"What?" He asked her.

"Nothing." She shook her head.

The next day, a Friday, Luke and Lorelai both brought Jess and Rory into nursery together, a little later than normal. Something Jess was not happy about, he was convinced all the good toys would be taken so when they got there Jess ran off without a goodbye whereas Rory kissed her parents goodbye before running after him.

They then made their way up to the doctors.

"Your right that was boring." Luke said as they left.

"I told you, nothing is interesting happens until the 12 week scan at the end of October."

"Still glad I came." He said kissing her hand as they walked towards the car.

That night Lorelai was in the kitchen after Rory and Jess had been put to bed.

"What are you doing?" Luke asked walking in to her making what looked like a sandwich, "what is that? Please don't tell me you have weird cravings already."

"Nope, this is my basket." She said humming to herself as she put the sandwhich in and some weird junk food that she bought and Luke never touched.

"What for?" He asked her looking at her like she had gone crazy.

"For the basket bidding charity thingy."

"The basket bidding charity thingy?" Luke asked, "not that stupid bid on a basket thing?"

"No not that stupid bid on a basket thing, that incredibly cool bid on a basket thing." Lorelai corrected him.

"Oh yeah? And who is going to bid on your basket of death?"

"You are." She answered simply.

"No I'm not."

"Well then I guess it will be a lucky dip, let's see who I get." She said kissing him and she walked passed him into the living room.

"A lucky dip?" He asked her following her in.

"Yeah! Maybe I can get an upgrade." She smiled at him as he sat down and put her legs over his lap.

"Luke 2.0?" Luke suggested.

"Nah, it would be weird if he was called Luke he might be called..."

"Now be careful, any name you make up here will not be the name of our possible future son."

"Noted." She said and started listing off terrible names making them both laugh.

The next day at lunch Lorelai came running into the dinner and started pressing buttons in the cash register.

"Wow? What are you doing? Where are Rory and Jess?" Luke asked coming up behind her and looking around for Rory and Jess.

"How do you open this stupid thing?" Lorelai asked ignoring him.

"Lorelai, where are Rory and Jess?" He repeated ignoring her.

"With Patty, now come on quick, I need cash and I need you." She stood back from the register and pointed at it.

"Why?" He asked not moving.

"Luke time is of the essence here, creepy guy bidding on my basket, looks like he is going to win."

"I told you I wasn't doing that." He said walking away.

She grabbed onto his arm and pulled him back standing really close she whispered in his ear, "let me rephrase that, creepy guy trying to buy a date with your wife, who is pregnant with your unborn child, and your two born children will be there too."

"Dammit, why did you enter that stupid thing?" He took his wallet out of his back pocket and waved it at her.

"Good love you too." She said pushing him out and running towards Taylor who was still taking bids on her basket thankfully.

"We have a bidder." She yelled.

"How much is it for the stupid thing, Taylor?" Luke asked him taking his wallet out.

"We are currently on $15.67." Taylor informed him, "but it is a bidding thing Luke and I would appreciate it if you didn't call it stupid."

"$20." Luke said.

"$20.01." Said Kirk.

"Kirk, seriously, no." Luke said.

"You know that guy?" Lorelai asked him

"Going once." Taylor said.

"$21. And I swear to god Kirk you better not think of bidding again."

"Luke do not threaten other bidders." Taylor said and then when no one else bid said, "going once, going twice, sold to Luke Danes." He banged his gavel."

"Happy?" Luke asked after coming back to collect his winnings, "I just had to pay $21 for the worst food from my house that I already paid for."

"Very, thankyou." Lorelai smiled at him, "Come on let's go eat."

"I'm not eating that junk." Luke said festering the the basket in his hand.

"Now Luke that was very lovingly made."

"Hi daddy." Jess said running up to them.

"Hey buddy." Luke replied catching Jess as he jumped at him.

"That lady is weird." Jess whispered to him.

"She is a little bit." Luke laughed, "but don't tell her that, that's rude."

"Tell you what," Luke said to Lorelai, "I will go get us all some food and then we can all eat it in the gazebo, how about that?"

"Sounds good." She kissed him and took Jess from him, "go now, we are starving." She told him walking over to Patty to rescue Rory.

The day before Jess and Rorys third birthday Lorelai was standing in her room without a top on in front of the mirror when Luke walked in.

"What are you doing?" He chuckled at her, closing the door behind him.

"Don't laugh at your half naked wife." Lorelai scolded him playfully, earning herself an eye roll, "Do you see a bump.

Luke came over and stood behind her, He repositioned her slightly to get a better view, "Yeah," he smiled, "a little tiny one." He put his cold hand on her stomach making her shiver, "you look ever so slightly bloated," he joked, "congratulations."

Lorelai elbowed him in the stomach bug smiled at him in the mirror. "My life has changed so much in the past three years." Lorelai told Luke putting her hand over his.

"Good change?"

"Amazing change. I had Rory. I met you and Jess. I fell in love with you and Jess and now I'm having another baby but this time with my husband. I'm not nearly as scared as last time."

"Good." Luke kissed the side of her head lightly, "Do you think they will come to the party on Saturday?"

"When the Gilmores get invited to an event they go no matter how much they don't want to, it would just be rude otherwise."

"Are you going to talk to them?"

"I'm not going to blank them Luke."

"I meant talk talk to them not say hi."

"I know what you meant."

"We could tell them you know." Luke said running his hand across her stomach.

"It's not quite time yet."

"It's a few weeks, you can tell them." Luke said, "if you don't when will you?"

"You'll be there with me?" She asked.

"Always." He promised.

Very early the next morning Lorelai crept into Rory's room dragging a half asleep Luke along with her.

"Happy birthday little girl." Lorelai said lying down next to Rory, waking her up.

Rory took a moment to come round from her sleep, "Mummy! Daddy!" She said in a voice that was far too loud for this time in the morning, "it's my birthday!"

"Shhhh," Lorelai whispered to her, "it's early, 3 years ago today, it was also very early but I didn't notice so much." Lorelai said cryptically.

"Why?" Rory asked curiously.

"You'll regret asking that question sweetheart." Luke told her and Lorelai launched into the story of Rory's birth, by the end of it Rory was back to sleep and Luke was dozing off as well.

"Come on." Lorelai said to Luke running a hand through his hair to wake him up enough to drag him back to bed.

The next morning Jess was the first up and into Luke and Lorelai's room.

"Wow!" He shouted when he got their waking up Luke and Lorelai.

"Like it, sweetie?" Lorelai asked getting out of bed and joining Jess where he had ran to the two mini bikes set up in the corner, one pink and one blue.

"Yeah! Can I ride it now?"

"Not in here, we might have time before you go to nursery though, after breakfast."

"Let's go!" He shouted running towards the door, Luke who had no gotten out of bed two caught him though, "not so fast mister, we have to wait for Rory."

"Can I go get her?" Jess asked.

"No you have to wait for her to wake up, she won't be long, let her sleep."

"Please? She wants to wake up." Jess promised.

"Does she?"

"Yeah, get her bike."

"You are probably right, but you have to wait anyway."

"Mean." Jess pouted.

"I know I'm terrible." Luke said throwing Jess down onto the bed and tickling him to distract him.

A few minutes later Rory came in and had a similar reaction.

Jess and Rory had never gotten ready in the morning so quickly so before they all went to work they brought the bikes out to the front yard. Lorelai helped Jess onto him bike and Luke helped Rory onto hers. With the help of the stabilisers and the adults pushing them they were able to ride up and down a bit before they had to leave.

After initial resistance to leaving they walked into nursery with huge grins on their faces, ready to tell all their friends about their new bikes. Before leaving them Lorelai organised with the nursery to be able to pick them up at half eleven and drop them back at one, she already had permission from Mia to extend her lunch break.

At half eleven she walked into nursery to collect them. They then all walked to Luke's and on the way upstairs collected Luke.

"I haven't been up here in ages." Lorelai said before they went in.

"Yeah, I'm basically using it as an office like my dad did."

At 11:57am they sat on the sofa as a family.

"Three years jessie." Lorelai said as she rocked him slightly in her lap, "Do you feel old?"

"Almost as old as mummy and daddy now." Jess said seriously.

"Hey!" Lorelai said tickling his side, "I am not old. Daddy maybe but not me."

"I'm old am I?" Luke asked.

"Just a little, I mean you are 21."

"I have two years on you."

"Point is we aren't old." Lorelai told Jess.

"Am I old?" Jess asked.

"No, not even a little bit." Luke told him.

"What about Rory?" Jess asked.

"Oh she's ancient." Lorelai said quickly.

"No!" Rory said pouting.

"I'm only joking baby." Lorelai smiled at her.

That Saturday the party was starting. Lorelai had pinned balloons up all over the house and had left some more on the floor. Jess and Rory where currently chasing one of those balloons around. Sookie had made food in the kitchen despite Luke saying he was perfectly capable. The first people to arrive where Daniel and his mother Shirley.

"Shirley! Daniel!" Lorelai said spotting them making their way towards the house, "how are you? Come on in." She smiled at Shirley who she had become quite friendly with and then turned to Daniel, "Rory and Jess are playing with a balloon inside." She told him and he ran off through the house following the sound of their laughter.

"Hey Lorelai." Shirley greeted as she also came inside, slower than her son.

"Hey, you are the first here." Lorelai told her leading her to the kitchen and getting her a drink.

"Hey Shirley." Luke said walking into the kitchen and glaring at the coffee cup in Lorelai' hands.

"Hey." Shirley greeted him checking out the food.

The door bell rang, "get that won't you?" Lorelai asked Luke smirking over her coffee cup.

"Course." Luke said walking past and casually taking the cup out of her hand he went to the door and let in a group of children and their mothers.

"Hey!" Lorelai said running after him, "give that back and look in it before you say anything else."

Luke looked in it and saw it was just water, he took a drink of it and gave it back to her, "thanks I was thirsty."

Once the part had been going on for about half an hour with just kids other members of the town started to show up. Luke felt like he was constantly opening the door and he was getting tired of greeting people.

He opened the door and on the other side of it were Lorelai's parents, "Emily, Richard, you came?" Luke said slightly surprised himself.

"Of course we did Luke, we were invited after all." Emily said to him in a patronising voice.

"Umm Yes, ofcourse Sorry," like said standing to the side, "come in, I'll go let Lorelai know you are here." He hurried off into the direction he had last seen Lorelai.

"I guess we will just get our own drinks then." Emily mumbled to Richard.

"It would appear that way, wouldn't it?" Richard replied guiding her towards the kitchen.

"Hey Rory?" Luke asked looking around for Lorelai, "Do you know where mummy is?"

"Upstairs." Rory replied turning back to Lane.

"Thanks sweetheart." Luke ruffled her hair slightly and went upstairs and into his room.

"You alright?" He asked his wife who lay on the bed with her eyes closed.

"Yeah I'm fine." Lorelai said sitting up, "I just felt really tired and slightly nauseous all of a sudden so I came upstairs fro a second. Try and get some quiet."

"Sure you are ok?" Luke asked her looking concerned.

"Yeah I'm fine." She promised, "just checking on me or is there something?"

"Something." Luke responding taking a seat on the bed next to her, "your parents are downstairs."

"They came?"

"They came."

"You know what this means don't you?"

"Yep, we are going to tell them." Luke said placing a gentle hand on her stomach.

"And then I can start telling other people, finally. I can't keep this in much longer, I've almost told Sookie so many times. And Shirley for that matter. Strangely haven't felt the urge to tell Mrs Kim yet, but there is still time."

"They'll appreciate you tell them first."

"I know." Lorelai sighed and stood up, "let's get this show on the road then."

They went downstairs to see Emily and Richard talking to Rory and Jess, all of them with huge smiles on their faces.

"That's nice." Lorelai whispered to Luke who kissed the top of her head in agreement.

"Hey mum, Hey dad." Lorelai said walking over with her hand in Luke's.

"Lorelai." Her mother said shortly, obviously not over the last time they spoke.

"Could we speak?" Lorelai asked.

"We are speaking Lorelai."

"I mean outside, privately."

"This isn't the time Lorelai, this is a party you just socialise, have I taught you nothing?"

"Please Mum, it won't take long."

"Come on Emily." Richard said. Emily pursed her lips but nodded.

Luke knelt down in front of Rory and Jess and said, "I think Sookie had a treat for you." He told them.

"Sookie!" They shouted running in her direction.

"That worked." Luke said standing up.

"Come on." Lorelai led the four of them outside where they were by themselves.

"What is it Lorelai?" Emily asked once they stopped walking.

"We wanted to talk to you." Lorelai started.

"Yes we know that." Emily interrupted.

"Well yes, well umm, well we wanted to tell you something actually. We wanted to tell you that we are... well we are going to have a baby." Lorelai said wrapping her arm around Luke's side she added, "another baby."

"You're pregnant?" Emily asked looking her up and down.

"Yes."

"How long?"

"About 3 months, just under I guess, well no, three months I think."

"A baby?" Emily asked.

"A boy I think." Lorelai smiled slightly.

"You don't know that." Luke told her and it was clear he had told her before.

"I was right about Rory."

"There are only two options, the odds are pretty high that you get lucky and guess right."

"Well ummm congratulations I guess." Richard spoke up, "to both of you."

"Thanks dad." Lorelai smiled.

"Thanks." Luke nodded at him.

"Richard, Luke can you give us a minute?" Emily asked gently, getting a nod from Richard who walked back inside.

After a nod from Lorelai Luke followed him inside.

"Sit down Lorelai." Emily said sitting down on the bench.

Once Lorelai had sat down too she said softly, "you know this isn't like last time. This is a good thing."

"I know it's a good thing, but Rory was too."

"Yes I know Rory was a good thing, but getting pregnant last time wasn't, there is a difference and you know it. But it's different, yes you are still too young but 19 is better than 16 and when is the baby due anyway will you be 20?"

"Yeah, start of May we were told."

"Ok, and you are married, it's different. I'm happy for you." Emily said.

"Thanks mum."

"And well you do have a life." Emily added.

"I know and a pretty great one at that."

"Will you come back to dinners? I want to know my grandchildren."

"Sure but every other week, ok?"

"Ok. Who else have you told anyway?" Emily said standing up.

"No one yet. Luke thought you would like to be the first people to know and you know you are suppose to wait a while anyway."

"Well that was very nice. Thank you." Emily said sincerely.

"Well actually Mia knows, but she knew before I even took the test." Lorelai corrected her self.

Emily pursed her lips and nodded her head but didn't say anything.

"Although I am so telling everybody I can soon, it's been so hard to keep this in." Lorelai laughed.

"What about Rory and Jess?"

"We are going to tell them tomorrow." Lorelai said just before she rejoined the party.

Luke saw her come in and went over to her, "all good?" He asked touching her elbow.

"All good." She confirmed, "it's ok because we are married and have a life." She smiled at that bit, "and I'll be 20, much better than 16."

"We have a life?"

"Yeah we do." Lorelai smiled at him, "and that life includes dinner and my parents every other Friday."

"Ok then."

"lets cut the cake!" Sookie said all but running up to them.

"Ok! Luke go ready the people." she pushed him towards the living room, "I'll go help Sookie with the cake!"

Luke walked into the living room and announced that the cake was coming and before he could even make his way over to Jess and Rory he heard Sookie squeal in the kitchen. He couldn't help but smile and roll his eyes.


	23. Chapter 23

The next day after breakfast Luke and Lorelai sat down in the living room with Rory and Jess.

"We have something very important and very exciting to tell you." Lorelai told them with a smile.

"We are getting more presents?" Jess asked looking very excited.

"Ice cream?" Rory asked.

"Ice cream and presents?" Jess looked even more excited.

"Let's stop guessing." Luke said.

"In May, So a little time away now, I am going to have a baby." Lorelai smiled at them.

"So that means you will be a big brother and sister." Luke told them, "this is a very important job because you will have a little brother or sister to look after."

"Katie has a baby sister can I have one of those please?" Rory asked politely.

"We don't get to decide sweetie if it's a boy or a girl." Lorelai told her, "but don't worry you'll love a baby brother just as much."

"I dunno, I already have a brother." Rory said.

"But I already have a sister so I need a brother." Jess said.

"Maybe you can get both?" Rory asked Lorelai hopefully.

"No sorry sweets, only one baby in here." She said rubbing her belly.

"It's in your belly now?" Rory asked.

"Yes."

"Then why don't we just get it out now?"

"It's too small." Luke told her, "it will grow inside mummy and mummy will get really fat." He told her with a grin making Rory laugh and Lorelai hit him.

"I won't be fat, I'll be pregnant." Lorelai told Rory, "there is a difference."

"I know." Luke smiled at her, "I was only joking." He told Rory.

"How did you get the baby in there?" Jess asked looking thoughtful.

"Ummmmm." Luke said looking to Lorelai for help.

"That, my love, is a question for another time." Lorelai said slowly then added in an upbeat voice, "but all that talk about ice cream has made me hungry, who wants to go get some?"

"Me!" Rory and Jess both yelled jumping off the sofa and running to their shoes.

"Well handled." Luke chuckled.

"Better than ummmmm." She countered, "Come on, you can come get ice cream with us on the way to work."

On the way to get ice cream Lorelai walked in front holding Rory's hand and Luke followed with Jess' hand in his. Half way there they ran into Babette.

"Lorelai Rory! Oh and Luke and Jess too! It's good to see you." Babette said.

"Hey Babette, Good to see you too." Lorelai replied with a smile.

"So," Babette said speaking to Rory now, "how was your birthday? You are three now aren't you? You are getting awfully big!"

"Yeah I'm three!" Rory held out three fingers to prove her point, "I'm very big, I'm going to be a big sister!" Rory said proudly.

"A big sister, wow!" Babette said then realised what she had just said and turned to Lorelai, "sugar?" She asked looking at her stomach.

Lorelai nodded placing her free hand on her stomach in confirmation.

"Oh wow, that's wonderful!" Babette said giving her a hug, "congratulations!" She then hugged Luke too who awkwardly hugged her back briefly.

"So who knows?" She asked wanting to know if she was out of the loop or the first one in it.

"Mia, my parents, Sookie and everyone standing here." Lorelai told her. Luke picked up Jess who was whining about having to stop on the way to ice cream, partially to help keep him quiet and partially to try and stop any more hugging.

"Wow, So I'm one of the first. So when do you think you would be telling others?" She said trying not to ask to tell everyone.

"You can let people know if you want." Lorelai said casually, "it's not a secret any more, people will find out eventually."

"How far along are you?" Babette seemed to go into reporter mode trying to get as much information as possible.

"About three months."

"Do you know the sex?"

"No not yet."

"Do you have any names picked out?"

"That's enough." Luke said, "it was lovely seeing you Babette, but we better get going." He started walking.

Luke returned home from work that day with a sigh and bags of food for dinner. He walked into the living room where Sookie and Lorelai were playing with Jess and Rory.

"Oh Luke I never got to say congratulations yesterday, so congratulations!" Sookie said standing up from the floor.

"Thanks." Luke said slightly dryly, enough for Lorelai to notice but not Sookie.

"Anyway I better get going." Sookie said, "I've got to get ready for my date!" She added excitedly.

"Call me later or tomorrow if it's late and tell me how it went." Lorelai said walking her to the door and hugging her goodbye.

"What's wrong?" She asked Luke as soon as the door closed.

"Nothing is wrong, it's just weird and tiring everyone saying congratulations to me today, every two seconds people where coming up to me in the diner, people I barely even know. Taylor was being annoying."

"Taylor is always annoying." Lorelai pointed out.

"Yeah but today the annoying was more annoying because I was already annoyed."

"Annoyed that people are happy for us?"

"Annoyed that they are bugging me and keep saying congratulations, don't you think that's a bit weird?"

"Why?"

"To congratulate me on getting my wife pregnant, they do know how I did that right?"

"That is not the bit they are congratulating you on." Lorelai laughed.

"Then what is?"

"That you are going to have a baby."

"I just don't think congratulations is the right word."

"What should people say then?"

"I dunno I'm not some kind of word expert, that word just seems weird."

"Ok then, let's eat, me and baby are starving."

"On the plus side I can tell you to stop drinking coffee in public now without worrying." Luke said.

The day of Luke's birthday Lorelai came rushing into the diner with a distraught look on her face. Luke saw it and rushed over to her abandoning the plates he had been carrying on the counter.

"Your child doesn't like coffee." Lorelai said when Luke reached her side sitting down at an empty table.

"What?" Luke asked confused sitting opposite her, "you gave Rory and Jess coffee? Of course they don't like it they're three!"

"No." Lorelai shook her head and placed her hand on her stomach, "this one."

"You drank coffee? Lorelai you promised."

"I know I'm sorry, but every now and then I just need to have a little tiny bit and today was one of those days, I barely had two sips before I had to throw up. Then after I thought it was just a coincidence so I went back to it and it Well it didn't taste right Luke."

"Good little baby!"

"Luke this is serious, I didn't like coffee!"

"Exactly my point, good little baby! And it's not a big deal Lorelai, it won't be forever and this can help you keep your promise."

"I didn't mean to break our promise." She said softly, "well I did, but I didn't do it to break the promise and I hardly ever did, I felt too guilt."

"It's alright." He told her, "I expected you to break it a little bit." He took her hand and squeezed it lightly, "but now that the baby is on my side I have an inside spy."

"Literally." Lorelai giggled.

"How does the baby like fruit juice?" Luke asked her.

"This baby is going to eat just like you, isn't it?" Lorelai made a face and Luke smiled proudly.

Lorelai walked with him over to the counter where he went back to work and she sat there, "And you've already kind of got Jess, not fully I'm still working on it. What three year old when presented with the options of pop tart and orange picks orange?"

"Not Rory." He replied dryly.

"That's right." Lorelai grinned, "I've got her!"

That evening Jess and Rory where in their pyjamas already when Mia turned up to baby sit for them so that Luke and Lorelai could go out to celebrate Luke's birthday.

"Mia!" Rory yelled running to her and jumping into her arms.

"Hey sweet girl! It's good to see you too!" She smiled hugging Rory back.

"Are you going to be good for Mia?" Lorelai asked them then added for Mia, "she's still a little bit hyper from the cake we had, she might have had a bit more than she should have."

Rory nodded eagerly and Jess said, "yes."

"That means going to bed when she says and then going to sleep." Lorelai clarified and Rory nodded her head again and Jess walked up to Lorelai and tapped her side.

"Yes?" She asked him and he signalled for her to come closer.

She rolled her eyes and smiled and knelt down right in front of him, "what is it Jessie?"

Jess leaned right against her and whispered in her ear, "Will she read us a story?"

Lorelai almost laughed but instead stood back up bringing Jess with her, "you'll have to ask her Jess." She smiled at him and kissed his cheek. When he still looked unsure she added, "I'm sure she'll say yes."

"Are you being shy Jess?" Mia asked him walking closer with a comforting smile on her face, "you know who I am, you are alright." She assured him.

"When, when we go to bed, will you read us a story?" He asked with wide eyes.

"Course I will sweet boy, do you want to help pick the story?" She asked him in return.

He grinned at Lorelai and nodded his head eagerly.

"Good boy." Lorelai said kissing his cheek one more time before setting him down, "now I'm going to go check on your daddy, he appears to be going through quite the beauty routine upstairs."

She walked into her bedroom to see Luke putting his shoes on.

"What's taking you so long?"

"I'm not taking long I am taking a normal amount of time."

"No, definitely taking long."

"Well I'm ready now, are you ready to go?"

"Do I look fat in this?" She asked looking in the mirror rethinking her outfit.

"No you do not. You do however look ever so slightly pregnant with our baby who tomorrow we get to find out if it's a boy or a girl, we can stop calling it it."

Lorelai grinned, "you are just changing the subject, I don't look too pregnant yet that people will look at me and think pregnant now they will look at me and think is that girl pregnant or just fat."

"Who cares? You are pregnant."

"I know, but should I pick a different outfit to either make pregnant more obvious, which is a hard balance to strike or go with a looser item where people don't even notice, but I don't like really loose clothes."

"No picking other outfits. You look beautiful in that, let's go." He put is hand on her back and walked her to the door.

Lorelai scoffed leaving the room, "you are sweet but we all know pregnancy does not suit me. Some people can pull it off, I am not one of those people."

It was now Luke's turn to scoff, "Yeah right. You can pull basically anything off."

"What about haven't washed for a week, lost my hair brush and only have garbage bags to wear."

"I added basically for a reason and that reason was I knew you'd come up with a ridiculous example and quite honestly I thought you'd do better." He said reaching the bottom of the stairs.

"Hey! I'm hungry." She said in defensive.

Luke smiled at her and then knelt down to the floor and said to Rory and Jess, "Come say good night. We will come back once you are asleep." They both ran to him and gave him a hug and told him good night.

Once he had kissed both of them on the head and told them good might he stood up so that they could repeat the process with Lorelai.

While they were doing that Luke went to stand with Mia, "thanks for doing this."

"Of course, I love hanging out with them, I don't get to see them as much as I would like to. And Happy birthday, 22 huh? You know they would be so proud of you."

"Thanks, I hope so."

"I know so sweetie." Mia said giving him a hug as Lorelai approached them with Jess and Rory trailing behind her.

"Ready birthday boy?" Lorelai asked.

"Yeah." Luke smiled at her.

"Thanks again for doing this Mia." Lorelai said just before they left.

"Luke's already covered that sweetie." Mia laughed slightly and shooed her out.

Lorelai caught up with Luke on the lawn, "I'll drive." She said, "you can have a drink, it's your birthday after all."

"I don't want to drink alone."

"You'll be fine, you don't need to get drunk or anything."

"Wasn't planning to."

"Good then." Lorelai said getting into the drivers side.

"You know I could have still driven there." He pointed out, "even if I do get a beer."

"True, but nothing wrong with me driving, is there?"

"No." He smiled at her.

"So what are you hoping for tomorrow?" Lorelai asked.

"You mean gender wise?"

"Of course I mean gender wise."

"I don't mind, how about you?"

"Luke! Come on, pick one."

"I generally don't mind, I would love to have another son or another daughter, we already have one of each. But from the way you are asking you know which one you want."

"I've already told you I think it's a boy."

"So you want it to be a boy?"

"I don't want to be wrong do I? Anyway I know I'm not wrong I can tell."

"You can't tell."

"I could tell with Rory."

"Lucky guess, even if it is a boy it will still be a lucky guess."

"It's like when I can tell it's going to snow."

"I still think that's a lucky guess."

"It's not, you'll see tomorrow."

"Even if it is a boy that doesn't prove anything."

"The only downside to that is we don't have a boy name chosen. If it's a girl it's easy, Catherine, all we have got to do is pick a middle name."

"You still want to call her Catherine?" Luke asked as they pulled up outside a restaurant.

"Course I do." Lorelai smiled at her and they got out and walked inside. Luke gave their name and they were seated.

"But we aren't having Catherine, not yet anyway, we are having a boy. We need to name him." Lorelai said as they took their seats.

"One we don't know that yet, don't get to set in your ways, you could be wrong you don't want to end up being disappointed and two you are right we should think of a boy name we both like."

"I wouldn't be disappointed with Catherine, of course not I just know we aren't having her. Any ideas? We could go with a meaningful name like William, but then that kind of rules out Catherine later on doesn't it, we don't want siblings named after a married couple." She made a face.

Luke chuckled at her, "True, we could always use William as a middle name." He suggested.

"Yeah ok, but now we need first names."

They both looked thoughtful and where interrupted by the waiter wanting their order.

"Let's just fire a load out." Lorelai suggested after he had gone.

"Ok you first."

"Alright." Lorelai said and then after a pause said really quickly, "Liam, James, Micheal, Matthew, Daniel, Samuel, Andrew, Thomas, Theodore." She finished, "now you."

"Charles, Joseph, Patrick, Jonathon, Connor, Ryan, Robert, Miles, George."

"Ok." She said, "now what?"

"Not Michael." Luke said, "or Thomas."

"See progress, my turn, not Robert, or Charles."

"But then you could call him Charlie."

"Charlie is cute ok, maybe Charles, but not Ryan."

"Not Daniel, Daniel Danes sounds ridiculous or Samuel, it rhymes with Daniel."

"Miles is a funny one, kinda cute and kinda like Milo, I like Milo."

"Yeah, probably a bit too strange to actually be picked, I just like the name and Milo is nice too but once again a bit out there."

"We can go a bit out there." Lorelai reasoned.

"Yeah but not too far, it's probably too far. What's your favourite?"

"Probably Theodore, you can call him Theo which would be very cute. What's yours?"

"Not sure, I like Charles, Jonathon and George I think."

"Not George. Jonathon?"

"Yeah, I also liked James and Andrew that you suggested."

"I like them too."

"Duh, you suggested them." He smiled at her.

"We need to write these down." She said digging through her bag for a pen, she came up triumphant.

"We don't need to settle this now."

"Our appointment is tomorrow morning, I want to know his name before we know he is a he. I didn't know Rory's name until the day she was born. I want to know his before tomorrow."

"Ok then." Luke said and she wrote out the list of names that hadn't been rejected. The page read:

Theodore (Theo)

Charles (Charlie)

James

Andrew

Johnathon (I like it better with a h)

Miles/Milo

Liam

Matthew

Patrick

Joseph

Connor

Luke took the pen and crossed out Joseph and Liam. Lorelai then crossed out Matthew and Connor. Luke then crossed out Miles/Milo.

"Awww." Lorelai said and crossed out Matthew.

"Are we going to go with William as a middle name?" Luke asked, as they began to eat their starters which had been brought out.

"I want to." Lorelai said.

"Ok good me too." He then rewrote the list.

Theodore (Theo) William Danes

Charles (Charlie) William Danes

James William Danes

Andrew William Danes

Johnathon William Danes

Patrick William Danes

"James William doesn't sound right to me." Lorelai said stoking it out.

"Ok then let's think on it and come back to it tomorrow morning before the appointment." Luke suggested.

"Ok." Lorelai agreed, "so changing the subject how would you like to go on a double date?"

"With who?" Luke asked not liking the sound of it.

"Well you know Sookie?"

"I do but isn't she going out with that Declan dude?"

"She was but now she isn't because that Declan dude slept with some Ellie girl, anyway she is finally over him and wants to go on a date with Eric but she's really nervous and wants me to go with her and it would be weird if I just went by myself, so if you come too it's a double date."

"We have to waste a perfectly good babysitting opportunity to go babysit Sookie on her date?" Luke asked making a face.

"Come on, be nice, she is really nervous, she likes this guy."

"Where did she even meet him?"

"Well it's actually my fault they met and yours actually, so we owe it to them."

"How exactly is it my fault?"

"Well I was suppose to go to this coffee tasting thing with Sookie that she got as a present but I had to drop out at the last minute, your fault." She said gesturing to her stomach, "so she had to go alone which means she had to talk to the other people there, one of them being Eric."

"Ok, but she's never going to see him again, unless they already arranged to meet up so how would this date even happen?" Luke asked.

"Well.." Lorelai said.

"It's already arranged isn't it?" Luke asked with a sigh.

"Technically yes and I've already said we would go and it's next Saturday."

"Who is going to baby sit, we can't ask Mia again, it's too soon."

"Well my mum said she would like to babysit them last time we saw them remember. That would involve leaving them there and then coming back to get them in the morning though, no way my mum would sit in our house by herself."

"So you are saying we have to drive to Hartford, convince Jess and Rory to stay there over night without us, drive back to stars Hallow, probably drive back to Hartford because that is where the restaurant is isn't it?" He asked and Lorelai nodded, "then back to stars Hallow, then back to Hartford in the morning then back to stars Hallow again?"

"Wow you are really concerned about gas. Come on, it will be fun. Anyway it will mean a lot to Sookie."

"Oh good."

"So to ask the original question again, how would you like to go on a double date?"

"Fine, But only because I love you."

"And you'll be nice and pleasant the whole time?" Lorelai asked.

"You aren't speaking to Rory and Jess, yes I'll be nice." Luke rolled his eyes.

"Ok, change of subject again, how is 22?"

"I haven't been 22 that long."

"I know, but so far."

"It's good so far."

"Are you expecting that to change?"

"Not at all." He smiled at her as they dug into their main course.

They arrived home slightly later then planned because on the way home, a slightly tipsy Luke, who had had a few beers told Lorelai to pull up on the side of the road.

"You alright?" She asked him looking concerned.

"Let's make out." He grinned at her.

"What?" She asked giggling slightly, "I thought you felt sick or something."

"Come on, let's make at in a car at the side of the road at night. We are still young enough to do that."

"Ok." Lorelai grinned at him and leaned over.

They entered the house and Mia stood up to greet them. They walked in hand in hand and smiled at her.

"Did you have a nice night?" Mia asked them.

"Yeah it was great!" Lorelai grinned, "how were the kids?"

"A few tears at bed time, somebody missed his mummy, but they were ok, a story calmed them down."

"Awww." Lorelai said looking slightly guilty, "I'm sorry he can get like that sometimes. Thankyou for doing this for us."

"No problem at all, any time. They really are very sweet." Mia said giving them both a hug and then leaving.

"I'm going to go check on them." Lorelai said once she had gone and Luke followed her up. They were both fast asleep so Luke said, "come on, let's go to bed." Kissing the side of her neck.

"Ok," Lorelai smiled at him, "is that a hint?"

"Maybe." He smiled and they went into their bedroom, closing the door behind them.

 **Hi, please give your opinions on the names. are there any you like or dont like? any that fit? any other suggestions? I really want your opinions on this!**

 **thanks.**

 **ps, i absolutely love all of your reviews, i get really excited when i se3 i have one, and honestly a little nervous too!**


	24. Chapter 24

The next morning, a Friday, Jess and Rory were very happy to see them.

"Mummy! Daddy!" Jess said excited as he came into their room in the morning. He jumped up onto their bed and lay down between them, "I missed you." He said.

Lorelai cuddled into his side and kissed his head, "we missed you too buddy." She said.

"But we are back now and you were ok, weren't you?" Luke asked him and he nodded, "Good boy." He praised.

"What did you do with Mia? Did you have fun?" Lorelai asked him.

"Yeah, we played a game and then when we went to bed she read us a story but then I really missed you because I had to go to bed but Rory said she would stay in my room until I got more sleepy."

"Did she?" Lorelai asked, raising an eyebrow at Luke who smiled at her.

"Yeah, to make me less sad." Jess explained.

"Well that was very nice of her, wasn't it?" Luke asked him.

"Yeah."

"Come on, let's get up, we need to get ready." Lorelai said sitting up, "I'll go get Rory up, meet you downstairs." She said to Luke who nodded.

Lorelai walked into Rory's room where she was still asleep she knelt down in front of her and gently woke her up.

"Mummy!" Rory said when she saw her and launched herself into a hug.

"Hey sweet girl! Did you miss me?" She asked and got a nod, "I missed you too." She stood up with Rory in her arms.

"I heard you were very nice to Jess." Lorelai said walking out of the room.

"Yeah he missed you and daddy and I did too so I stayed with him."

"That was very kind. Thank you." Lorelai said and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Daddy!" Rory said when they reached the kitchen. Luke walked over to Lorelai and took Rory giving her a hug, "you ready for breakfast?" He asked her.

Rory gave him a huge smile and an even bigger nod.

They dropped Rory and Jess off at nursery and then made their way to the doctors.

"So what have you been thinking?" Luke asked as they drove over.

"Theodore, Theo, little teddy bear." Lorelai said.

"Theodore William Danes. Theo Danes. I like it." Luke nodded.

"You do?"

"Yeah."

"Good."

"So that's it then?" Luke asked.

"That's it." Lorelai confirmed.

They got the the doctors and had to wait in the waiting room for, in Lorelai's opinion, an annoyingly long time.

"15 minutes late is perfectly normal." Luke reminded her as they sat in the doctors office waiting for the doctor to return, "in fact it's quite good."

"We are right at the start of the day." Lorelai replied.

"Sorry about that." The doctor said re entering her office, "so, are you ready?"

"Yep." Lorelai nodded her head.

5 minutes later the doctor said, "well it appears to be a little boy, congratulations!"

"Ha! I told you!" Lorelai grinned at Luke.

"Hoping for a girl?" The doctor asked Luke.

"No, she is under the impression she can predict it, although this doesn't prove anything, you can get lucky twice especially with odds as good as 50-50 each time."

The doctor chuckled and Luke and Lorelai shared a smile.

Later that evening they made their way over to the Gilmore house with large grins, even from Rory, the good mood had rubbed off on her.

"Hey mum! Hey dad!" Lorelai said walking in.

"Hello." Richard said standing up to get everyone drinks.

Emily walked over to them and gave Rory and Jess a hug, "how are you doing?" She asked generally as she walked back to her seat.

"We are doing great, we were at the doctors this morning."

"The doctors? For the baby?"

"Yeah."

"I take it that everything is ok?" She deduced from their moods.

"Everything is ok with our baby boy." Lorelai confirmed placing a hand on her stomach and shooting Luke a smile which he returned.

"Boy? You are having a boy?" Emily said.

"Now That is reason for celebration!" Richard said and gave his daughter a hug, "congratulations, both of you."

"Yes," Emily said smiling too, "this is great news, do you have any names in mind?"

"We do, But we aren't telling anybody until after he is born." Lorelai said.

"Please mummy I want to know." Rory tried again.

"No sweetie, not until after he is born. We will tell you first how about that?" She asked Rory who nodded with a slight pout.

"If I don't get to know the name, can it at least be a girl?" She asked still pouting.

Luke picked her up and set her on his lap, "darling, we have told you before we don't get to pick." He told her kissing her cheek, when she still looked upset he made a face at her that always made her laugh. Rory tried to resist it but pretty soon She was smiling again.

"That's a good girl." Luke said kissing her cheek again.

After the meal just before they left Lorelai asked to speak to her mother.

"What is it?" Emily asked her as they walked into the living room.

"Remember two weeks ago when you said you and dad would be happy to babysit? Well I know it's a bit short notice but I was wondering if you would be free next Saturday?"

"Next Saturday sounds good." Emily replied with a grin, "what time are you going out at? They can stay here."

"Half seven in Hartford, we were originally giving my friend a lift but she's just going to meet us up there so we can drop them off on the way up?"

"So if you are here for say half 6 you can settle them in a bit before you have to leave?"

"Sounds good mum, thanks for this!"

"Where are you going anyway?"

"My friend Sookie is really nervous for this date she has so she asked the guy if they could double date with me and Luke. Luke's not thrilled about it actually, but we are helping her out."

"That's nice, So next Saturday, that'll be good because we don't get to see you next week." Emily said as they joined the others back in the hall way.

"Everything alright?" Richard asked once they came back.

"We are babysitting next Saturday." Emily smiled at him.

"Ok." He said then turned back to Lorelai, "we will see you next Saturday then."

"Yeah, bye dad, mum." She said leaving picking Rory up on the way out because she looked tired.

Over the next few days the news that their baby was a boy spread around the town like wild fire. Waves of congratulations came once again to both Luke and Lorelai. Lorelai took them gracefully, Luke disliked them as much the second time round as the first.

"They're weird." He said once again to Lorelai, "the weirdest one was your dad."

"Luke for the last time, that is not the bit they are congratulating you on. Get your head out of the gutter!"

"They should wait until after the baby is born."

"They are congratulating you on the same thing! And it will come again after he is born."

"Goodie." Luke said sarcastically.

Next Saturday they arrived at the Gilmores house at half six, Luke and Lorelai dressed up slightly for going out. Jess clung to Lorelai, He was not sure about being left here.

"Hello everyone!" Emily said gleefully when she opened the door, "Jess? Rory? Are you excited to stay here?"

Jess his is head in Lorelai's neck and Rory played with Luke's trouser leg from where she stood.

"They might take a minute to settle in Mum." Lorelai said stroking Jess' back as Luke picked Rory up.

"Well, come on through to the living room." She said walking into the living room, "Jess, Rory, you can sleep in your mothers old bed, you slept there before you know." She said once they reached the living room, hoping this would calm their nerves.

It had the opposite effect.

"I don't want to!" Jess said bursting into tears and hugging Lorelai tightly, "I want to stay with mummy and daddy!"

"Come on sweetie, it will be fun." Lorelai said standing up so that she could hug him better, "you can sleep in my old bed, where I used to sleep. Rory will be there too."

"No, stay with you." Jess said stubbornly shaking his head against her as he continued to cry.

"Ok buddy," Luke said, "you don't have to if you really don't want to." He assured him then turned to Emily and said, "sorry, he's not great at night."

"That's alright." Emily said although she seemed a little disappointed, "he just loves his mummy and daddy."

"Luke, what about Sookie?" Lorelai asked.

"What about her, she can go on her stupid date by herself."

"Luke, I promised her." She continued to rock Jess as he calmed down.

"Too bad, Lorelai, we can't leave him like this."

"Hey Jess? How about this," Lorelai said sitting down with Jess on her lap and moving him slightly so she could look into his face, "how about, me and daddy put you to bed here, we can read you a story, then when you are asleep we will come back for you after our meal and bring you home, then you can wake up like normal in your bed and come see us?"

Jess looked uncertain, but he didn't start crying, "You come get me?"

"As soon as we finish eating, you won't even know we are gone." She promised him.

"We have a story?" He asked still not looking certain.

"Of course baby." She assured him kissing his forehead, "Come on, you'll be absolutely fine, Rory will be right with you, I would leave you here if I didn't think you would be fine. Do it for me baby."

"Ok." He said looking into his lap.

"Ok?" She asked and he nodded, "Good boy." She praised him and kissed his head again standing up giving him a hug.

"Lorelai are you sure we should?" Luke asked her.

"He'll be fine Luke, he'll only be here a few hours."

"Mummy, will you come get me too?" Rory asked.

"Of course sweetie, we aren't just going to leave you here." She smiled at her smoothing her hair and kissing her head too wear she sat in Luke's arms.

"Sorry Mum, not quite what you had planned, is this ok?"

"It's fine Lorelai." She smiled at her reassuringly.

"Thanks Mum, we'll just go upstairs get them ready for bed."

15 minutes later the four of them came back downstairs, Jess and Rory in their pyjamas.

"Say goodnight to grandma." Lorelai said placing Jess on the ground. He went up to Emily and hesitated before saying, "night night grandma."

Emily smiled at him and leaned forwards and gave him a hug.

"You don't need to go yet do you?" Emily asked Lorelai.

"No not yet."

"Good why don't you sit with me for a minute, just before they go to bed?" She asked.

Lorelai said, "ok." And Emily leaned over and picked Jess up and set him next to her, "Rory come over here." She said holding her hand out towards her.

"You both look very cute in your pyjamas I must say." Emily smiled at Rory climbed up on her other side and leaned against her.

Luke and Lorelai sat on the other couch and Lorelai asked, "mum I forgot to ask, where's dad?"

"Oh he had some work thing, he'll be home when you get back."

At 7 o'clock Lorelai said, "right, bedtime if you want us to put you to bed or you can stay up a little bit with grandma."

"Night night grandma." Jess said again jumping down from his seat and running over to Luke who picked him up.

Rory hugged Emily, "night night." She said and then went over to Lorelai who picked her up.

"Good night, both of you." Emily smiled at them.

They went upstairs and put them into Lorelai's old bed. Lorelai dug through the bag they had packed and brought out a book. When she turned around Jess was crying again.

"Jess," She said lifting him into her arms, "you will be ok, I promise. It's not scary. You are lying exactly where I used to lie up until you where born actually." She kissed his cheek.

"Are you ok buddy?" Luke asked him, "you can tell us the truth, you can always tell us the truth." He added.

Jess nodded and said, "fine for mummy."

"Good boy, come on lie down with me." She lay down on the bed and put her arm around Jess and rested her hand of Rory said, "Luke, you can read the story."

By the end of the story, like they always where Jess and Rory where asleep, Lorelai had purposely picked a story that was particularly good at putting them to sleep. It was so good actually that she almost fell asleep to.

At the end of the story she gently lifted her arm up and slowly got out of the bed.

"Let's go." She said quietly after a last glance at Jess and Rory on the bed.

"Are you sure we should?" Luke asked uncertainly, stopping her with his arm once they closed the door.

"He will be fine, we are coming back for them, they'll just be asleep the whole time." She assured him.

"Yeah, But He was quite upset, he obviously didn't want to."

"He is fine like, he is with my mother, who despite her many faults will take good care of him."

"I know that, but he wants to be with us."

"And I know that. I wanted to just bring him home too but we can't Luke, I promised Sookie and he will be fine. If I didn't think that you know I wouldn't leave him here, you know that." She said looking into his eyes.

"Yeah, fine, you're right. Come on let's go." He said walking towards the stairs.

"Mum we are going to go now, they are both asleep and shouldn't be any trouble." Lorelai said reentering the living room where her mum was reading a book.

"Ok Lorelai, have a nice time. I'll see you about.."

"Diner is at half seven, we might be a little late actually, it's not far we might be good, Well we will be back I dunno 10ish, maybe a bit before, does that sound right? it's just a meal."

"That sounds about right." Emily nodded.

The drive to the restaurant was a silent one they pulled up at the restaurant just in time and saw Sookie standing outside.

"Hey Sookie!" Lorelai said rushing over to her with Luke following at a slower pace.

"Oh hi!" Sookie said sounding almost shocked to see them.

"Eric here yet?" Lorelai asked as Luke reached them.

"No." Sookie said her eyes on the road.

The next car to pull in was him, "that's him!" Sookie said seeing him through the window and then quickly turning to Lorelai, "ok we are deep in conversation ok, we didn't even notice him turning up, ok?"

"Ok." Lorelai laughed and Luke rolled his eyes, "so what were we talking about?" She asked.

"Errr I dunno." She pulled a face trying to think, "I have no idea. Oh no, we need to think of something." She looked at her shoes then gasped loudly, "I know, work!"

"Perfect, boring but perfect, what exactly about work, we need more details."

"Hey Sookie." Eric said walking over.

"Oh hi." Sookie giggled looking at the floor.

Luke rolled his eyes again and as it seemed no one was doing introductions held his hand out to the guy who shook it, "I'm Luke, Lorelai's husband."

"Nice to meet you, I'm Eric." He said then turned to Lorelai, "you must be Lorelai then, Sookie told me a bit about you."

"All positive I hope." She laughed as they walked into the restaurant.

"Mostly." He smiled at her jokingly then turned to Sookie, "so how are you?"

"I'm good, really good, how are you?" Sookie spoke slightly too loudly as they were lead to their table.

Luke and Lorelai sat next to each other and on the other side sat Sookie and Eric.

They order quickly and Eric turned to Lorelai and Luke, "Sookie told me you were expecting a baby, is this your first?"

"No, we've got two three year olds, a boy and a girl, Rory and Jess. And yes, another one on the way."

"Wow." Eric said, "That's a lot. I have a sister with a five year old and a three year old."

"They're great though, aren't they?" Lorelai asked him.

"Yeah they are," He smiled at her, "Sookie do you have any nieces or nephews?"

"No," she giggled, "I'm an only child. How many siblings do you have?"

"Too many! I have an older sister and brother, then there's me, then I have two younger sisters and three little brothers. The youngest is 10."

"Wow. So that's, 2 1 5, 8 all together." Sookie said.

"Yeah, told you it was too many." He laughed.

"No I'm sure it's nice." She smiled at him, "I always wanted a sibling growing up."

"Yeah I was never bored, I'll tell you that much. So what do your parents do?" He asked her.

Lorelai leaned back in her chair as they spoke, "lighten up a bit will you." She whispered to Luke who also leaned back crossing his arms.

"I'm fine." He mumbled back.

"Luke.."

"I said I am fine."

"Fine."

Once their starters came the conversation opened up a bit, "so Lorelai, you work with Sookie at the Inn?" Eric asked.

"Yeah, well I work at the Inn, I'm not a chef or anything." She said getting a chuckled out of Sookie and a grunt out of Luke, "I work at the front desk."

"Cool. Luke what do you do?"

"I own a diner."

"That's different, how did you get into that?"

Luke shrugged, "just did." He said continuing to eat his food.

Lorelai made a face but turned to Eric, "what do you do?" She asked him.

"Its not very interesting," he said, "but I sell cars."

"I dunno that could be interesting." Sookie said.

"How so?" He asked her with a smile.

"Well I'm sure you get to meet a lot of interesting people. And whenever you go into buy a car the people are always so jolly and happy to help, even if you are in a bad mood about something,g you've got to fake it until you make it right." She said.

"That is true, you meet some very interesting people." He said putting emphasis on very.

"Tell me about it, you meet some of those at the Inn too, right Lorelai?"

"Oh yeah." Lorelai grinned, "very interesting."

"I'm sure you get them at your diner too Luke?" Eric said.

"Sure." He said.

"You know one time..." Sookie started telling a story about a customer she had had recently who was particularly memorable.

Making sure that neither Sookie or Eric would notice She leant back in her seat again and muttered to Luke, "Come on, you are just being rude now, he is being very nice to you."

"We shouldn't be here." Luke said in a voice slightly higher than a murmur that was intended and Sookie and Eric heard.

"Everything ok?" Sookie asked Lorelai.

"Everything fine." Lorelai smiled at her and put a hand on Luke's leg, "right Luke?"

"Right." He replied and after a look from Lorelai added a smile, "Sookie think that's bad, did Lorelai ever tell you about the guy that yelled at Rory?"

"No, what happened there?"

"I remember that, it was just after our wedding wasn't it?" Lorelai asked.

"Yeah," Luke nodded his head, "this jerk starts having a go at Rory because i had her in my arms when I took his order, she was doing on harm, she was just tired and not even two years old."

"Seriously, what did you do?" Eric asked.

"First customer I ever kicked out." Luke responded with a grin which earned him a chuckle from Eric.

After they finished their mains Luke and Eric were in a conversation about cars. "I'm just going to the bathroom." Lorelai said standing up out of her seat.

"I'll join you." Sookie said.

"What's going on with Luke?" Sookie asked once they reached the bathroom.

"Oh nothing," Lorelai said entering a cubicle, "he's fine." She said leaving the cubicle and walking over to the sinks.

"Oh, I just thought he was in a mood or something."

"He is. Jess got a little bit upset before we left and Luke didn't want to leave him." She explained.

"Oh, well thanks fro coming then, was Jess ok?"

"Yeah he was fine, he was asleep when we left him. Luke's just in a mood."

"Ok." Sookie said opening the door and letting Lorelai leave first.

They arrived back at the Gilmores at quarter to ten, Sookie and Eric had stayed behind st the restaurant for another drink, and Richard answered the door, "Hey dad, everything ok here?"

"Ummm Yeah, mostly, Jess woke up and thought it was morning and got a bit upset but he's back to sleep now in the living room with Emily." He explained.

Luke gave Lorelai a look and they went into the living room.

"Hey mum," Lorelai said quietly, "is he ok?" She asked gesturing towards Jess who lay out on his stomach in the couch with his head in her lap.

"He is fine." Emily smiled at her, "just needed a little cuddle is all." She said.

"I'll go get Rory." Lorelai said quietly and Luke walked over and picked Jess up causing him to wake slightly, "Mummy?" He asked.

"It's just me bud, go to sleep." He whispered placing a kiss on his head.

"Daddy." He muttered contently drifting back to sleep against his chest.

Lorelai came downstairs with a sleeping Rory and their bag. They thanked Lorelai's parents and the left. They buckled the children into the back and then got in themselves.

"We shouldn't have gone." Luke said as they drove back home.

"Well we did." Lorelai responded.

"He needed us."

"He was fine, he did good with my mum."

"He wasn't ready for us to go. You guilted him into it, he would do anything of you asked him to do it for you and you know it." Luke accused.

Lorelai turned to face the window and didn't respond.

They drove home in silence and put the kids in their beds in silence. Luke then found Lorelai in their bed with tears down her face, "I'm sorry, ok?" She asked when he came in, "I made a mistake. I thought he would be ok with my parents, I made a promise to Sookie and I want to keep it. You were right, I'm a terrible mother." She said more tears running down her face as a sob escaped her.

"Lorelai..." He said sitting on the bed next to her.

"What?" She asked rubbing at her face with her pyjama sleeve.

"You are not a terrible mother." He said strongly, "you are an amazing mother. The best mother I could hope for my children. I'm sorry I said what I said, it was uncalled for."

"You were right."

"No I wasn't."

"Yes you..."

"No I wasn't," he cut her off, "I wasn't. You were right. He was with your parents, he was asleep when we left him. We did everything right, we only left him there for a few hours, with Rory right next to him. And he was fine, he got to spend some time with your mother, that's good."

"Yeah." Lorelai said with tears still on her face and looking at her hands.

"Come here." He said putting his arm around her and placing a kiss on her head, wiping the tears off her face, "you are an amazing mother and I'm sorry." He said as she leaned against him, "that boy loves you more than anything in the world."

"And I left him."

"Asleep with his grandmother and sister for a few hours. A very reasonable thing to do."

"He didn't want to be left, I made him."

"He's three Lorelai, it's normal for him to want to be with his mummy. It's also normal for his mullet to leave him with his grandmother while she goes out for a few hours."

"Liz left him and then I left him." She said.

"Don't say that." He said putting his hands on her shoulders and looking straight into her eyes, "never say that, never think that. You, my love, are an amazing mother, you did nothing wrong, ok?"

"Ok." She responded nodding her head.

Luke kissed her, "good." He said leaning his forehead against hers, "let's go to sleep." He said getting up and turning the lights off. He got back into bed and put his arms around Lorelai. She leant into him with her head on her chest.

"I love you." She said.

"I love you too, crazy lady." He said kissing her head, "so much."


	25. Chapter 25

The next day Lorelai was woken up by Jess climbing into their bed.

"Hey sweetie," she smiled at him pulling him close so that he lay down right in front of her, "Are you ok?" She asked him softly as Luke was still asleep.

Jess nodded his head and cuddled into Lorelai, "I love you sweetie, with all my heart." Lorelai told him kissing his head.

"Love you too mummy." Jess responded with his head against her chest.

"Were you ok last night without me and daddy?" She asked him.

"Yeah," he replied, "I like grandma."

"Good, I'm glad." Lorelai smiled and placed a kiss on his head.

"Is daddy sleeping?"

"Yeah he is. He is so lazy isn't he?" Lorelai asked causing Jess to giggle.

"He's lazy and smelly!" Jess said through of fit of giggles, smelly being the next biggest insult he knows.

Lorelai pretended to gasp then turned slightly and did an over dramatic sniff, "Yeah you're right, he is a bit smelly." She laughed with Jess this time.

"What's so funny?" Luke asked, being awoken by the giggles. This caused Jess to laugh even harder. "What?" Luke asked.

"Nothing babe." Lorelai said giving him a kiss.

"Daddy's..." Jess said then had to stop because he was laughing too hard. He tried again, "daddy's sme..." he broke into a fit of giggles again. Third time was the charm he got out, "daddys smelly and lazy!" Before he broke into his laughter.

"What?" Luke asked him laughing himself. He leaned over Lorelai and started tickling Jess, "what did you say mister?" He asked.

"Oi, smelly boy, if you can be bothered, I'm being squished here." Lorelai grinned.

Luke rolled back over bringing Jess with him. He gave him a really tight hug, "Oh no," he said, "I'm getting my smell all over you." He laughed.

"Mummy save me!" Jess shrieked.

"I've got you." Lorelai said grabbing Jess and lifting him away, "you're safe now." She said.

Rory came in at this stage, "Why is Jess laughing?" She asked climbing onto the bed next to Luke.

"Quick Rory, get away!" Jess shrieked, "Daddy is smelly!" He started laughing again.

"No he isn't!" Rory said defensively.

"Thankyou Rory." Luke smiled at her giving her a hug, "right, I'm going to make breakfast, and only people who say I'm not smelly can have some." He said with a smirk.

"Me!" Rory said excited.

"Yep you." He said getting out of bed bringing her with him, "anyone else?" He asked.

"What we failed to mention was that you smelt good. Very good in fact, right Jess? That's what we meant by smelly." She said.

"No!" Jess laughed, "me meant smelly smelly." He said.

"Not helping Jess," Lorelai laughed, "we want breakfast cooked by daddy not cooked by me."

"Oh, whoops."

"Yeah, whoops."

"Come on." Luke said.

"You'll make us breakfast?" Lorelai asked following him out with Jess.

"Yeah I'll make you breakfast."

Lorelai sat at the table with Jess and Rory as Luke cooked.

"Now who's lazy?" Luke asked Lorelai as she sat there.

Jess started laughing again, "daddys lazy!" He said.

"I'm cooking you breakfast!" Luke said, "your mother is being lazy! Just sitting there."

"No." Jess shook his head.

"Yeah Luke, no." Lorelai said in agreement.

"I like daddys breakfast." Rory said.

"Thankyou." Luke smiled at her.

"Suck up." Lorelai said light heartedly, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

The next day at work Lorelai walked into the kitchen in her break to talk to Sookie.

"You and Luke ok?" Sookie asked her.

"Yeah we're good." She smiled.

"Was Jess ok?"

"Yeah, mainly. So, how was your date then? Any good?" She changed the subject.

"Yeah it was good. We are meeting up tomorrow night actually."

"Good. So you like him?" She smiled at her.

"Yeah I like him." She blushed, "did I tell you? Until Luke talked about Rory and used She he was trying to figure out who was the girl and who was the boy!"

"With Jess and Rory?"

"Yeah."

Lorelai laughed, "I guess that could go either way in theory."

"I never thought of it either until he told me after you left." Sookie giggled with her.

Luke's dark day came and the whole family had the day off from where they were suppose to be. When Lorelai woke up slightly earlier than normal Luke was lying awake next to her.

"Hey." She said softly startling him slightly.

"Hey." He whispered back and pulled her close to him kissing the top of her head when she lay right next to him.

"You alright?" She asked. He didn't respond, just kissed her head again.

"5 years." He said after several moments of silence. It was now Lorelais turn to kiss his head.

"That's half a decade." He said, "he shouldn't be dead, it's not fair," tears started rolling down his face and Lorelai sat up so that it was her hugging him instead of him hugging her, "he should be here now, playing with Rory and Jess, waiting the arrival of Theodore, meeting my beautiful wife, helping Liz out he could always do a better job than me, it's not fair he wasn't old, he wasn't that old."

"I know baby, I know." Lorelai said hugging him close as he cried, "it's not fair not at all."

"What's wrong with daddy?" Came Rorys little voice from the door way.

'The one day she wakes up early' Lorelai thought.

"Today is the anniversary of his dads death, sweetie, that means it's been five years since he died." She explained gently as Luke tried to hide his face in her side and she ran her fingers through his hair.

Rory nodded and walked around the bed until she stood next to Luke, "I'm sorry about your daddy, daddy." She said gently looking at his back.

Luke took a deep breath and held it before blowing it out and rubbing his face clear with his sleeve he turned around and picked Rory up and gave her a big hug.

"Thankyou Princess," he kissed the top of her head, "you know I love you right?" He asked her and she nodded into his chest, "I love you too daddy." She replied.

"You always remember that, ok? No matter what happens, me and your mother love you so much. We will always love you, you remember that, ok?" He asked her and she nodded, "Good girl." He said kissing the top of her head.

Jess came in and climbed up next to Lorelai.

"You too mister," Luke said, "always always remember that me and your mum love you so much, no matter what happens, ok?"

"Ok." Jess smiled at him.

"Good lad." Luke reached over and ran a hand through his hair, "who wants to go get some breakfast?"

"I'll bring them down, do you want a minute?" Lorelai asked him gently.

"Yeah, thanks." He gave her a small smile and a kiss on the forehead.

"Come on." Lorelai said leading Jess and Rory from the room.

"But what about daddy?" Rory asked on the way out looking back.

"He'll be down in a minute." Lorelai assured her.

She brought them down to the kitchen and sat them down in seats next to each other. She the knelt down in front of them, "now, daddy is going to be really sad today because 5 years ago his daddy died. Later on we are going to go visit his mummy and daddy's graves, your other grandma and grandpa. You have to be extra nice to daddy today, ok?" She raised an eyebrow and was met with two nods, "Good," She said, "now who wants some juice?"

When Luke came in Jess spoke up, "daddy?" He asked.

"Yes son?"

"Do you want a hug?" He asked shyly looking down.

"I would love one." Luke smiled at him and went over and picked him up. Jess wrapped his arms around Luke's neck and Luke wrapped his arms around his back, "Thankyou, sweet boy." He said.

"Your welcome daddy."

Luke then went over to start making breakfast, after he had returned Jess to his seat. Lorelai went to stand next to him, "You ok?" She asked him.

"I don't want them to see me cry." Luke said softly to her.

"Luke.. it's ok to cry." She reminded him.

"I know, but I don't want them to see me cry. I don't mind you I just don't want them to see that."

"It's ok to show weakness in front of them." Lorelai squeezes his hand, "I know they've seen me cry."

"I just don't want to." He said.

"Ok." She replied seeing it was upsetting him, "ok, they won't."

"Thankyou." He said squeezing her hand, "you know what I said earlier on goes for you too."

"What?"

"I will always love you, no matter what."

"I know." She assured him, "and from all three, no four, of us, it goes for you too."

They didn't leave the house until after lunch time, they drove the short distance to the cemetery and Luke stood in front of the graves and lay down the flowers they had brought. Lorelai stood a few feet back, holding one of both of Jess and Rory's hands. Everyone stood in silence for about 15 minutes and then they left.

When they got home Luke went to lie down for a bit. After an hour Lorelai had sure the kids where occupied and wouldn't do anything and went upstairs.

She entered their bedroom and saw him lying on the bed staring at the ceiling, "Hey." She said entering the room.

"Hey." He replied.

"Do you want to talk?" She asked sitting next to him. When he didn't respond she asked, "do you want me to go away?"

"No, stay." He said reaching a hand back for hers, she placed her hand in his, "stay." He said.

"Ok." She replied kissing his hand which he then dropped back to his side. She started running her hand through his hair.

After a while he spoke, "at first it's really hard, you miss them, you have to come to terms with the fact you'll never see them again, it's really hard. Over time you come to terms with it, you accept that it happened but the missing them, that doesn't go away. It gets stronger, the more time you spend apart the stronger you miss. Right now anyway, 5 years is really getting to me. But at the start you couldn't go a minute without thinking of them, you just can't do it, you find yourself lying awake at night just thinking about them. I've gone whole days without thinking about them now, it's terrible, I'm terrible. I remember the first day, just over two years ago actually, our life was crazy but that's no excuse. I thought about them the next day when I saw an old friend of my dads in the street and I realised the day before my dad hadn't crossed my mind once. Of course that thought occupied me for a while so I thought about them all the time but that faded and it happened again, until eventually it was normal to miss days. I thought maybe I didn't miss them as much anymore, I felt terrible but I thought maybe I just didn't. I realised I just got used to it, I got used to missing them, it wasn't something I had to think about anymore, old news. I still miss them more than I did anyway. Even if I'm a terrible person, I still miss them more than I did."

"Luke.." Lorelai said, "you are not a terrible person. You've been through so much. It's ok not to think of them everyday, they are still in your heart, you still love them. You still miss them more than anything in the world. Don't beat yourself up over this. You are the best person I know." She leaned down and kissed the hair she had been stroking, "they would be so proud of you. You are such an amazing person. You started this family, you took in Jess, you got us this house, you were so kind to me, you saved me and you saved Rory and now you are giving me another baby. You work so hard at the diner, you built a business, a pretty damn good one at that and you were so young yourself. They would be so proud."

"You think so?" He asked, a lot of vulnerability in his voice.

"I know so my love." She assured him, "you are the best person I know and you love your parents so much, you've done nothing wrong there."

"It just hurts." He said softly.

"I know."

"I'm going to phone Liz now." He said sitting up.

"Ok, I'll bring the kids upstairs then, give you some privacy and some quite."

"Thankyou." He smiled at her and they both went downstairs.

Time past and in the middle of night in the second week on December Lorelai shook Luke awake, "it's happening!" She said excitedly.

"The baby?" He asked still half asleep.

"No! Not the baby, it's December, snow!"

"You woke me up for snow again?" He asked with a grown.

"The first snow of the season," She said getting out of bed, "it's a magical thing and if you don't hurry up and get out of bed we are going to miss it."

"I'm not going outside, it's freezing."

"I know it's about to snow, come on."

"No, it's just snow, if it snows we will see it on the ground tomorrow."

"No, we have to watch the first snow as it falls, please Luke it's a tradition, then tomorrow we can all go for our walk in the first snow of the season."

"The things I do for you." He grumbled getting out of bed and shivering. He pulled on his coat on the way out the door and handed Lorelai hers.

They stood outside for 2 minutes and 40 seconds, Luke was watching his watch and then snow flakes started to fall.

"Happy?" Luke asked.

"Very." Lorelai grinned.

"Can we go back inside now?"

"I want to enjoy my present for just a bit longer."

"I'm going inside, don't freeze to death." Luke said walking back to the house and Lorelai looked up into the sky.

The next morning Lorelai led the first snow of the season walk. Once they got to the square they sat down and Rory and Jess started playing in the snow.

Lorelai lay down in it and started making a snow angel, "copy me." She told Rory and Jess, "you'll make a snow angel." She stopped and stood up inside it, "not bad." She said, "luke would go like to make one?" She asked.

"Not a chance."

"Rory, Jess, let's see what you've got." She said prompting them to stand up, "stand up inside where the snow is squished and I'll fit you out so you don't ruin it." She said.

Once they where all up they stood back and admired their angels, "I've got to say, you too make very cute little snow angels." She said looking at the two smaller angels next to her own.

A few minutes later Luke got a stick and wrote their names above each of their snow angels.

"What does it say?" Rory asked.

"That says Lorelai, and that one Jess, and that one Rory." He said pointing them out with a stick.

"Daddy?"

"Yesie?" He copied her questioning tone

"How many letters are there?"

"Umm 27, I think, Hey Lorelai?" He yelled out catching her attention, "how many letters in the alphabet, 27 right?"

"Let me check." She said and started singing the alphabet song and counting on her fingers, "I got 26, let me try again." She repeated the process slower, "no definitely got 26."

"Ok, thanks."

"There are 26 letters in the alphabet." Luke told Rory.

"Could you teach them to me?" She asked.

"Sure," he smiled at her, "I'll teach you to say them first, then to write them and then I'll teach you how to spell your name, how about that?" He asked her.

"Cool!" She grinned, "can we start now?"

"Ok, come sit on this bench with me."

"Now the alphabet, with its 26 letters, is arranged in a particular order, alphabetical order, so I'm going to teach you it that way, ok?" She nodded, "there is even a song that goes with it," he said, "I'll sing that first, just to give you a taster."

" g, h i j k, lmnop, q r s, t u v, w x y and z now I know my abcs, next time won't you sing with me." He sang softly to her, "now some would argue that the now I know my abcs next time won't you sing with me is not an important part to the alphabet learning experience but I beg to differ." He smiled at her, "you sing it with me this time ok?"

"Ok." She said a deep look of concentration in her face.

"A" He said slowly and she repeated.

"B" the process went on all the way to.

"And z."

"Now for the important part, now I know my abcs, next time won't you sing with me."

"Again." She said.

"Ok."

"A"

...

"K"

"What's going on here?" Lorelai asked coming over to the bench.

"I am learning the alphabet letters." Rory said proudly.

"Are you?" Lorelai asked.

"Yep, Daddy is teaching me the song."

"Can I learn too?" Jess asked.

"Of course you can." Luke told him, "Lorelai you know the song, why don't you give a demonstration."

Lorelai sang the alphabet song including the line at the end.

"What did I tell you Rory, a very important line at the end there."

"Oh yes." Lorelai agreed, "a very important part of the learning of the alphabet in fact."

They went home and by the end of the day Rory and Jess could both sing the whole song. Rory was just singing it on loop.

"Come here." Luke said to Rory and Jess as he sat at the kitchen table, "I'll show you what they all look like." He then wrote out the alphabet in lower case and pointed to each one and said what they were.

That night as they were getting their story read to them they both were pointing out the letters on the page.

"That's a d."

"Yes it is."

"That's a s."

"Uh huh."

"That's a b."

"Yep."

"That's a y."

"Let's just read the story."

"That's a g."

"It is, but let's not point out letters, let's read the story and then go to be ok?"

The next morning at breakfast Rory asked Luke if he would teach them how to write the letters after once again singing the alphabet song.

"It's not the weekend any more sweetie, you have to go to nursery today and I have to go to work." He reminded her, "but later on when we come home we can do it." He promised her.

At lunch time, the time Lorelai normally came by the diner door opened and Luke looked up to see if it was her, when he looked up the rolled his eyes as Kirk walked towards the counter.

"Hello Luke." Kirk said in his weird voice.

"Hi Kirk, what can I get you?" He asked.

"I was wondering if I could have some information."

"What information?" Luke regretted asking almost as soon as he did, he should have just answered no and gone on with his day.

"I was wondering if you knew Lorelai, the girl who comes in here a lot."

"My wife?"

"Yeah." Kirk confirmed, "anyway, she has been a bit fatter recently and I've been wanting to start dating so I thought now would be the time to ask, while her standards might be lower, do you think she would be interested?"

Luke rolled his eyes, "she hasn't been fat, she's been pregnant with my baby." Luke told him.

"Oh well, the question still stands."

"No kirk, she would not be interested in dating you as she is married to me."

"Drats." Kirk said.

"Drats indeed, now can I get you any food?"

He placed his order and Lorelai came in and sat at the counter a few places down from Kirk. Luke walked over to her behind the counter and leaned over and whispered.

"Kirk just asked me if I thought you might be interested in going on a date with him because he wants to start dating and now that you are getting fat he thinks his chances would be higher."

Lorelai laughed, "he said that?" She asked nodding towards Kirk who was looking straight ahead of himself.

"Yeah."

"What did you say?"

"That you are pregnant with my baby, not fat and that as you were married to me you probably wouldn't be interested dating him."

"Ha! That boy sure is strange."

"You can say that again, you know he wants a job here, keeps asking."

"And you keep saying no?"

"I am not putting him in charge of other people's food, or a cooker."

"Good call. Now talking about people's food.."

"I'll get you yours now." He rolled his eyes.

"Thanks doll, you're the best!"

Later that evening Luke sat at the table with Rory, as she drew out letters. Jess, who it turned out was left handed, had got bored long ago. Underneath the alphabet Luke had written out where a series of much larger messier copies.

"You are doing good." Luke praises her as she stuck her tongue out in concentration as she filled her third page, "how about this," he offered, "I show you how to write your name and we call it even for the day."

"Ok." She nodded excitedly.

"Ok so we start with an r." He said she sat and thought for a second then launched forwards towards the page and carefully wrote out a shaky r. "Yeah just like that, next is an o." This one took her a little longer to remember and she ran her finger a long one of the alphabets she had written before arriving at o, "o" she said writing it down. "Good, another r." She drew out another r, "and lastly a y." She wrote out a y after a moments hesitation. "And that says Rory, do you want to go show mummy?"

"Yeah!" Rory said jumping down from where she sat bringing the page with her she ran into the living room, "Mummy! Mummy! I wrote Rory!" She thrust the page forward towards Lorelai who took it off her, "you did! Well done baby!" She gave Rory a hug, "you did really well. Why don't we stick this up on the fridge with your drawings?" She asked and Rory nodded enthusiastically.

The next afternoon when Lorelai picked Rory and Jess up from nursery the lady who brought them out chuckled, "that's one determined little girl you've got there, all day she kept sneaking off to the drawing station, no matter how many games were being played, she kept writing out the alphabet and her name."

"Did you?" Lorelai asked Rory who nodded.

"It's fun! I'm getting really good, I want to show daddy."

"Ok sweetie." Lorelai chuckled too, "you'll be reading soon enough if you keep up like this." She said.

"Really?" Rory asked excitedly.

"Calm down, you are only three." Lorelai let her know.

"I think I need to count higher too, I can only go to 10 but you are 19 and that's a number and I don't know it so it must be higher."

"You are a very smart little girl, you know that."

"Eleven." Jess said.

"Eleven?" Lorelai asked him.

"Comes after 10, then there's twelve."

"That's right you smart boy, how high do you know?"

"Fifty nine." He answered.

"How?" She asked a bit shocked.

He shrugged, "what comes after 59?" He asked.

"Sixty."

"I know up to sixty nine now." He said skipping along in front of her.

"Do you?"

"Yeah." He said and then counted up to 69.

"Seventy." Lorelai said and he kept going, "eighty." He kept going "ninety." She said.

"99," He finished and looked confused, "is that all of them, we ran out."

"No, we go to 100 next, that' and then 1 hundred and 1." He kept going "109." He hesitated.

"1 1 0 how do you say it."

"A hundred and 10, you get count again and put a hundred in front of everything you say but how do you know all this? You are three!"

He shrugged, "I've heard people count stuff before."

"Right." Lorelai said.

Later that night Luke and Lorelai finished putting the kids to bed.

"She's somehow mastered the alphabet. You can say any letter and she can write it, upper and lower case. She wants me to teach her how to read." Luke said as they sat down.

"Jess can count."

"I know?"

"No jess can really count, Rory guessed their were numbers above 10 because I'm 19 and she doesn't know that number. I thought that was genius. Then Jess announces he knows what they are, he could go to 59 or so,etching but he didn't know the next one all I had to do was tell him 60 and he was off to 69. He can count."

"What? How can he do that? When did he learn to do that?"

"I have no idea. Once he got to 99 he said he ran out and got confused until I told him 100 i then he got confused about how to say 1 1 0. But he knew it was going to be 1 1 0."

"How could he know that, did you ever teach him, highest I've ever gone with him is ten, from that book."

"Yeah me too. That's all Rory knew. He said he has heard people count things."

"He has heard people count things?"

"Apparently."

"And he understands that?"

"Apparently."

"Wow." Luke said, "how did we end up with such genius children?"

"I have no idea."


	26. Chapter 26

**just before you read this, i have no idea why i did that either. I was shockdd when i did it but jjdt thought well that hwppened amd carried on. If you hate it i kinda do too and im sorry.**

In the second week of December they decorated the house for Christmas. Lorelai has made loads of ornaments with Rory and Jess for the tree so they were a little messy but she thought they were perfect.

As Luke lifted Rory up to put the star on the top of the tree Lorelai gasped and put her hand to her enlarged stomach.

"Lorelai? What is it? Are you ok?" Luke said turning around and putting Rory down and seeing Lorelai frozen with her hand on her stomach and her mouth slightly open.

"He kicked, a really big one."

Luke rushed over to her and put his hand on her stomach, "Come on Theo, do it again." He whispered just loud enough for Lorelai to hear.

After a while they gave up and went back to decorating and then Theo kicked again. "He did it!" Lorelai said her hands once again on her stomach.

For the rest of the day Theo proceeded to kick but never when Luke's hand was on Lorelai's stomach. Later that night when they were lying in bed Luke had his hand on Lorelais stomach and his face next to it as he spoke and Lorelai played with his hair.

"Now unless your mummy is teasing me, which I wouldn't put past her, you little man are teasing me. You haven't even been born and your mother has somehow managed to corrupt you."

"Hey!" Lorelai said lightheartedly continuing to run her hands through his hair.

"That's it, isn't it?" Luke said caressing her stomach with his hand, "she's got to you! Whatever she has offered you is a lie. Come back over to the good side." Luke joked and to everyone's surprise Theo gave a big kick right under Luke's hand.

Like started laughing along with Lorelai and kissed her stomach where his hand had been, "That's a good boy! You'll be on my side, ok?"

"Your side?"

"Yeah, Rory was appropriately named Lorelai 2.0, She can be your double sometimes and Jess is such a mommas boy."

"That is true, I am the best." Lorelai joked using Luke's collar to pull him up to her level and kiss him.

"That you are." He agreed.

A week before Christmas Lorelai was in the house on a Saturday by herself with Rory and Jess as Luke was at work. Rory and Jess where asking a million about Santa, which Lorelai was trying to answer, She was sure she got some of the details wrong but the gist was there when Luke barged in.

"It's for sale." He said his face a little red, he had obviously ran here.

"What is? Are you ok?" Lorelai asked a little taken aback.

"My parents old house, remember I showed it to you a while ago. We had to sell it to pay for all my dads treatments, but those people are selling it once again."

"Yeah I remember, near that old guy that Taylor dragged everyone through his house because they thought he was going to die."

"Twickham."

"Yeah but Luke your parents place was huge. There's no way we could afford it." Lorelai said gently.

"The mortgage would be big but if we just get the deposit." Luke said hopefully.

"We don't have that kind of money, not yet."

"We could use the diners savings."

"Luke.. we can't, that money is for the diner."

"It doesn't need it."

"Not right now, but it might, What if something happens?"

"It won't."

"It might."

"Can we at least look into it?" Luke asked.

"Of course we can, it's a great house. I would love nothing more than to be able to live there Luke, it would be perfect for us. How many bedrooms does it have?"

"5, one of them is en-suite."

"And that would be our one, but we probably can't afford it yet." Lorelai said trying to stay logical.

"I'll get us an appointment to see it." Luke said.

"You know what it looks like, you grew up there."

"But I want you to see inside, you've only seen it from the outside."

"Ok." Lorelai said.

"I've got to get back to work, it's just someone told me they saw a sign so I went to go check it out and it's true so I ran over here. Sorry I got a bit excited."

"Ok," Lorelai said standing up and going to give him a hug, she kissed him quickly and then pulled back and said, "but don't ever apologise for being excited."

Even though it was the week running up to Christmas Luke started opening and closing the diner more. Two days before Christmas Eve they had a viewing of the house.

Luke led Lorelai right through it, "the kitchen is through there, it's really big, not that you would care, I'd do the cooking but my my used to cook in there, she was an amazing cook. And the living room through here." He led her in, "that wasn't where we used to put the tree, but ok." He said as they continued to walk through the downstairs.

"Now upstairs, it's nice." Luke led her up to quite a large landing with doors going of it in all directions.

"This is the main bedroom, the en-suite, my parents old room." He led her in.

"And this one," he darted across the hall missing out rooms, "was my old room." He said opening the door.

"What was it like in here when you lived here?" Lorelai asked him, she couldn't help but smile as she watched him speak happily about his childhood, something he sometimes struggled to do because of how it ended.

"Do you like it?" He asked as they left.

"I love it Luke, I really do. I would love to raise our family there, it would be perfect, but I'm coming back to the issue of money."

"We are young, we can take a long mortgage and the diner is doing good, I have some more money we can put into saving and we already have a fair amount in there and you are on a good salary. I think we can do this." Luke said, "if we really want to."

"Ok," Lorelai smiled, "look into it, but be prepared to be disappointed."

"Ok." Luke grinned and kissed her in the street.

"Now now, mr Danes," she grinned at him, "what was that?" She teased.

"See what I mean Theo, she's a big tease." Luke said as he bent down slightly and ticked her stomach with his thumb, as he walked her back to the inn.

On Christmas Eve night all the Danes residents where in their pyjamas in the living room.

"Ok bed time." Lorelai said standing up and clapping her hands, "but first we have to leave something out for Santa." She walked in the direction of the kitchen with everyone following her, "I think Santa would like a lot of chocolate and cookies," she mused smirking at Luke, "and Rudolf would like some carrots!"

They gathered the food together and then sat it out in front of the fire place.

"Looking good?" Luke asked Jess and Rory.

"Yeah!" They both nodded and bounced where they stood from excitement.

"Ok, up to bed then, you have to go to sleep so that Santa can come."

"Is there time for a story before Santa comes?" Rory asked.

"I think we could squeeze one in." Lorelai said following them upstairs.

After their story they tucked them in and then went downstairs, "this is going to take a while isn't it?" Lorelai asked sitting down and leaning against Luke.

"Definitely." He sighed placing his arm around her shoulders, "this is the last Christmas just the four of us. By next Christmas we will have a baby too."

"May, So June, July, August, September, October, November, December," she counted out on her fingers, "7 months old. Awwwww, that's going to be so cute, remember when Rory and Jess where 7 months, that was such a good age."

"It was a good age?"

"It was, they were still little babies but they could babble at you and their little smiles and laughs." She said with a dreamy look.

"That was nice, and as well as that this time we will also have 4 year olds."

"7 months olds can't really understand Christmas, it's not exciting for them, but 4 year olds, they live for Christmas. I can't wait for next Christmas."

"Enjoy this one first." Luke told her and then a voice came from the stairs.

"Is He here yet?" Jess asked standing on the bottom step and leaning forward.

"Does it look like he has been?" Lorelai asked and Jess shook his head, "Come on then, back to bed." She said standing up and showing him upstairs. After she tucked him back in she went into Rory's room to see if she was asleep and to her shock she was.

"Rory is actually asleep!" Lorelai said coming back down stairs to Luke.

"I wonder if that was anything to do with your who can run around the Christmas tree the most competition?" He asked.

"And you mocked it!"

"Oh trust me, I still am." He smirked.

Half an hour later Luke went to go check on Jess, who too was asleep and he double checked Rory who was asleep too.

"Well that was easy." Luke said coming back downstairs.

"What was?"

"Both of them, fast asleep!"

"That was easy, you go get the presents, I'll start on the cookies and if you are a really good reindeer I'll let you have a carrot."

Luke came back from the Diner with the presents. They had been stashing them in the apartment upstairs and Lorelai had been sneaking up there during her lunch break to wrap them because she didn't trust Luke enough to do a good job.

Rory came into their bedroom at 4am, "it's Christmas!" She shouted jumping on the bed.

Lorelai pulled her into her arms and squinting at the clock, "sweetie, it's 4am!"

"On Christmas!" She replied excited.

"Yes, but it's sleepy time, time for sleep now." She mumbled.

"Time for presents." Rory countered.

"No definitely time for sleep." Luke grumbled, "come on lie down, you can stay awake quietly but me and mummy are going back to sleep."

Lorelai however had beat him to it and was already asleep.

At 6am Jess came in and woke them all up again.

"Sleep." Lorelai mumbled into her pillow.

"No," Rory said sitting up, "up up up!" She commanded waving her arms around.

"Up up up?" Lorelai asked her with a giggle.

"Yes, it's time to get up." Rory confirmed.

"Ok," she said sitting up, "you heard the girl Luke, up up up!" She said getting out of bed.

"Look daddy!" Jess shouted from where he sat opening presents, "a till, just like yours!"

"It's not just like mine, it's plastic and red and takes toy money." Luke replied.

"Just like daddys." Jess repeated looking at the box closely.

"Come on, open another one." Lorelai said handing him one with his name on it.

"This puzzle is really big!" Rory said in excitement, "do you think I can do it?"

"Of course you can." Lorelai assured her with a smile handing her another present.

"Wow," Jess said, "a dinosaur train station! How did Santa know?"

"Playdo!" Rory's voice called out, "cool!"

After they opened all of their presents they began asking to put all their new toys together.

"Let's have breakfast first." Lorelai said.

"No!" Jess said, "we've got to set it up first."

"Come on Jess, breakfast first, we still have a lot of time, but mummy and your little brother are hungry."

"He's not." Rory said seriously, "he told me he wants to do this big jigsaw puzzle."

"Did he?" Luke asked with a chuckled.

"Uh huh." Rory nodded picking at the side of the box.

"Well I say we are having breakfast first, come on." Luke said standing up.

"It's not fair!" Jess said with a pout that could rival Lorelai's.

"That I'm trying to feed you?" Luke asked then turned to Lorelai, "you taught him that look." He accused.

After breakfast they played with their toys for a few hours and then before lunch time they went for a walk around the town. Once they made it to the town centre, it appeared that everyone seemed to be going on a walk at this time. Kirk walked past him following an older woman and a lot of slightly older people.

"Lorelai!" Sookie said coming over with her parents, "these are my parents." She introduced, "how is your Christmas going? I thought you were going to your parents this year?"

"I am, in about an hour, I'm still surprised they cancelled their trip to stay here for Christmas. It's been good so far, an early start, an exciting start, but really good. What about you?" She asked and then added, "oh sorry hi, I'm Lorelai, I work at the Inn with Sookie." She introduced herself to Sookie's parents.

"Our Christmas has been good," Sookie giggled, "I went to Eric's house last night, met his family. And today I get to cook the Christmas dinner, this is the first year I've done it!"

"And they've managed to drag you away from the kitchen?" Lorelai teased, "how did it go with Eric?"

"Good." Sookie blushed and her mum added, "it was not easy to drag her away from the kitchen."

"Well it wasn't easy to drag those two away from their toys either." Lorelai joked pointing over to Jess and Rory who were a little way away with playing with Luke.

"They're cute," Sookies mother said, "how old are they?"

"They were three in October." Lorelai smiled, "and the big ones 22." She joked causing Sookie to laugh and her parents to smile slightly confused.

"We better go Lorelai, I have a dinner to cook!" She said.

"Have fun." Lorelai called after her going back to join her family and save Luke from his conversation he was having with Miss Patty.

At two o'clock they pulled up at the Gilmores house.

"I'm hungry." Rory complained.

"Well you should have had more chocolate earlier on then." Lorelai replied.

"Or fruit." Luke added, "maybe a nice vegetable?"

"No," Rory shook her head and Lorelai rang the bell, "chocolate."

"Hey mum." Lorelai said walking in carrying her present.

"Lorelai, good to see you all." Emily said stepping aside to let everyone else in, "I've got a present for you two in the living room." She told Rory and Jess who cheered and ran into the living room.

"We better join them." Lorelai laughed leading everyone into the living room, "hands off mister." She said seeing Jess about to rip open a random present.

"I told him." Rory said defensively.

"Grandma can give you your present, you don't just snatch." She told Jess as her father walked downstairs.

"Good to see you all." He said with a smile, "have you opened your presents yet?" He asked.

"No." Jess said bouncing slightly where he stood.

"Well you better hurry up then." Richard laughed at the obvious excitement coming from the boy.

Later on as Rory and Jess sat on the floor playing together contently the others sat on the couches talking.

"So," Emily said, "have you had a good Christmas so far?"

"An early Christmas." Luke said.

"It was no different when she was young." Richard smiled pointing at Lorelai, "one year it was every half hour from about 3 in the morning, 'is it time to get up yet?' What were you? About 6?"

"I'll have you know I was nothing but a delight when I was younger." Lorelai grinned and turned to Luke, "don't believe a word they say." She told him.

"Oh I believe that." Luke smiled.

"Rory was in with us from 4 and then Jess came at 6 and we got up." Lorelai told her parents.

"You let Rory sleep in your bed?" Emily asked.

"Yeah." Lorelai shrugged.

"Is it not a bit squished?"

"She's tiny. Although sometimes this isn't the only baby kicking me in the night." Lorelai said putting her hand on her stomach.

"I get it worse than you!" Luke countered.

"No you don't."

"Yes I do. They almost always cuddle up to you leaving their legs free to kick me."

"Legs can kick both ways and anyway sometimes they lie on top of you."

"That's definitely worse, they do not lie still."

"How often does this happen?" Emily asked confused.

"Not that often mum, just if they can't sleep or get a nightmare or something."

"Right, Anyway, I'm not sure if you heard, it's not really Christmas talk but Christopher dropped out of Princeton." Emily changed the subject.

"What? Why? What happened?" Lorelai asked a little shocked, she knew he said he was struggling but she thought he would at least stick it through.

"He wasn't doing very well and was told he had to improve but he couldn't so he left."

"How do you know this?"

"Francine told me."

"Chris' mum? You still talk to her?"

"Yes I still talk to her, we were friends a long time before anything happened, you know."

"Right, well what is he doing then?"

"Straub is not impressed at all but got him a job in his company for the new year."

"I can imagine," Lorelai laughed, "he always was a Princeton man."

Christmas dinner went well and shortly afterwards Rory crashed on the sofa in the living room and Jess sat tiredly in Luke's arms.

Richard entered the room after having gone to his study for a second, "Lorelai, do you remember the Christmas game?" He asked walking in with a deck of cards and a large board in his hand.

"Ohhhh, I love the Christmas game! Can we play?" She asked excited jumping forward in her seat.

"No," Richard said, "I just got it out to ask of you remembered it, I'm now going to put it back." He set it out.

"What is it?" Luke asked.

"You'll love it," Lorelai said, "it's not very hard, there are two rounds, poker and pool. You put one chip on the each square on the board at the start, then you deal out the cards, dealer gets two decks, they look at one and decide if they want to switch if they don't they cam sell the unseen set of cards, then, oh and dealer moves around the board, then you play poker with your hand, even though we will have quite a lot of cards, who ever wins poker gets all the chips from the bets and then also the chips on the poker square from everyone putting them in at the start. Then you play pool, which is where the person who will deal next starts with lowest black or red, alternating, and then you've got to go up as far as you can, but because some are in the unused set you won't go the whole way so the person who put down the last card does the lowest of the other colour, and if you put down a card that is one of the squares you have to say claim, some of them are combinations you have to get so they build up a bit over the rounds. Whoever runs out of cards first wins pool and gets the chips from the middle and everyone else has to give that person the number of chips they have left in their hand." She explained.

"What?" Luke asked still confused, "you gamble on Christmas?"

"Yeah but only petty cash, you buy a chip for a cent, but do you get it?"

"Not really."

"You will, it's easy, I'll help you to start." She promised, "now get out your wallet, I want some chips."

"Get your own money." He told her.

"I would but I didn't bring any." She said and he took out his wallet, "how much do you want?"

"20cent, you get out 20cent too and we will both start with 20 chips."

"Can I play?" Jess asked in a sleepy voice.

"You be on daddy's team," Lorelai told him, "he needs some help."

"Ok." Jess nodded happily.

Richard counted out everyone's chips and went first as the dealer.

"Are you keeping that hand?" Emily asked him.

"Yes I am." He said after a moments pause.

"Ok, 2 chips." Emily bid.

"No way." Lorelai said placing her cards face down, "Luke?"

"Yeah?"

"Would you like to pay more than 2 chips for a new hand, you don't know what it's like remember. You are looking for a good poker hand and also a hand that holds some of the pool items you can claim on the board." She explained.

"No." Luke said slowly.

"Ok Emily, this is yours then." Richard said giving Emily the extra hand and taking two chips from her.

"That was actually a really good game." Luke said as they left.

"You were rubbish though." Lorelai laughed, placing Rory into her car seat.

"I was not, it was my first time, I got way better towards the end."

"Dirty." Lorelai giggled and Luke glared at her.

"It was good though, at first I thought gambling wasn't very Christmassy but there is only a couple of dollars in the whole game."

"Did you have a good time? I know you don't always have the best time at my parents, but Thankyou for coming anyway."

"I did have a good time, the game was fun and yeah sometimes I feel a little uncomfortable around your parents, especially your mother you are always there and Jess and Rory, So it's good."

"Good, But Thankyou Anyway." She said.

"You're welcome Anyway." He responded.

The day after Boxing Day Luke went into work early. Just before lunch time there was a knock on the door, making sure Jess and Rory would be ok playing with each other for a few minutes Lorelai went to answer it.

"Christopher?" She asked shocked to see him, "how did you know where I lived?"

"You're pregnant!" He said.

"Yes I am, but how did you know where I lived?"

"Who's the father?"

"Luke," she rolled her eyes, maybe he couldn't make it at Princeton, "my husband."

"Right, Anyway I dropped out of school."

"I heard, but I'll ask again, how did you know where I lived?"

"I got my mum to ask your mum."

"And she told her the whole address?"

"No the town, but it was ridiculously easy from there, all I had to do was ask a few people where you lived, they asked why, I said I was an old friend, they said ok and told me, you might want to work on town safety."

"Right," lorelai said not entirely pleased it was that easy to find her, "why are you here?"

"I dropped out of school."

"I heard, but why are you here?"

"Because Lor, I've been thinking of you, we used to have fun, remember? Simple uncomplicated fun?"

"Is that how you are remembering it?" She asked him.

"I want to have fun again." He said stepping really close to her and before she could think he kissed her.

"Get off me!" She yelled pushing him back, "what the hell so you think you are doing?" She asked him angrily.

"Well I was trying to have fun." He joked with a grin.

"Go away, Christopher." She growled at him stepping back inside closing the door, she leant against the back of it and put her head in her hands and sighed.

"Come on guys," She said trying to be cheerful, "we are going to see daddy." She said.

She got them ready and left the house holding one of each of their hands.

"Where you going?" Christopher asked her, scaring her.

She lifted Rory into her arms and held her on her hip with one arm the other still holding Jess' hand.

"Stay away from me Christopher." She warned him and stalked off in the direction of the diner.

"Mummy, who's that?" Rory asked.

"No one sweetheart." She answered keeping her pace quick as she walked to the diner.

They entered the diner just before the lunch rush was about to start and Luke looked up and saw the look on Lorelais face, "what's wrong?" He asked her coming round the counter.

Luke looked Lorelai in the eye on his way to her and she burst into tears.

"Hey?" Luke asked her gently reaching her side, "What is it?"

"Can we go upstairs?" She asked through her tears.

"Yeah, come on." He said taking Rory from her arms.

They went upstairs and Luke todo Rory and Jess to go play for a minute with the promise that Mummy would be alright.

"Lorelai What is it?" He asked once they were settled.

"Don't be mad?" She asked him through small sobs, "I didn't do anything wrong, I promise."

"Ok." Luke said no idea what she was talking about, "tell me what happened." He told her putting his arms around her.

"Christopher came." She started.

"To the house? What did he do? Rory and Jess are ok aren't they?"

"They're fine."

"What happened then?"

"He was being weird, talking about how he wanted to have fun like we used to and then he kissed me and I promise I pushed him away straight away, I promise Luke." She sobbed.

Luke tensed around her but kissed the top of her head, "Where is he?" He asked her.

"He was outside our house."

Luke rushed to the door.

"Luke!" She called after him, "leave him alone." She told him but he ignored her and ran out.

Luke returned 5 minutes later with slightly red knuckles.

"What did you do?" Lorelai asked him.

"He's fine." Luke spoke roughly.

"What did you do?"

"All I did was punch him and told him to stay away from you."

"Luke!"

"What?" He glared at her.

"You can't punch people!"

"Why the hell not?"

"Because violence isn't the answer."

"I'm not three," Luke scowled at her, "don't speak to me like I am, anyway, I already told you He is fine, unfortunately."

"Luke.."

"He kissed you Lorelai! I wasn't there and he kissed you! How do you want me to react?" He asked her raising his voice slightly.

"Don't shout." She said taking a step towards him and looking over at Rory and Jess who were looking at them. She took a step towards him and he took a step back.

"Luke," She said sadly tears in her eyes again, "please?"

Luke looked at her pleading face and sighed he walked over to her and with his arm around her led her to a chair, he sat down and pulled her into his lap.

"He kissed you?"

"Yes."

"You pushed him straight away?"

"Yes."

"Ok."

"Ok?"

"Ok."

"I love you, not him or anyone else, you, I only ever want to kiss you. Please believe me?"

"I love you too." He said giving her a kiss.

"Much better." She chucked when he pulled away and she leant in for another kiss.

The next day Lorelai went into work and Luke minded the kids.

"Daddy, what's wrong?" Rory asked after a while, noticing then Luke wasn't himself.

"Nothings wrong darling." He told her.

Rory didn't look convinced, "you look sad."

"Rory," Luke sighed, "I'm fine. Just play the stupid game ok?"

Rory looked up at him with wide eyes and started crying.

"Sweetie, What is it?" He asked picking her up and giving her a hug.

"You're mad at me." She cried.

"I'm not mad, I promise." Luke promised her kissing the top of the head, "I'm just tired today, ok? I didn't sleep well. I'm sorry I didn't want to make you upset."

Rory sniffled and rubbed fed face against his shirt, "ok." She mumbled.

"Good girl." Like forced a smile and kissed her head again, "now come on, who wants to go outside? You can ride your bikes?"

"Me!" Jess jumped up and ran to his shoes bringing them back over to Luke to put on his feet.

"What about you Rory? Do you want to ride your bike?"

Rory nodded.

"Ok then," he set her down and wiped her face clean of tears, "go get your shoes." He told her turning to Jess to put his shoes on.

Meanwhile in the Inn Lorelai was working at the front desk.

"How was your Christmas?" Mia asked her leaning against the front desk.

"Christmas was great." She smiled, "Rory and Jess had the best time."

"That's nice, Christmas is always good with little ones. How about you and Luke did you enjoy yourselves."

"Ummm Yeah." She said not quite smiling and looking down.

"Convincing, did something happen?" Mia asked putting her hand comfortably on Lorelai's causing Lorelai's eyes to fill with tears which she blinked away.

"It's fine." She dismissed.

"Are you sure?" Mia checked, "you can talk to me you know. We can go into my office. I care about you and Lucas."

Lorelai considered it, "ok." She said quietly with a nod.

"Ok." Mia led her away leaving someone else to cover the front desk, "what's wrong then?" She asked once they sat down on the sofa to the side of the office.

"Well Christopher came to our house yesterday when Luke wasn't there because he had been kicked out of Princeton." She started and paused.

"Why would He go to your house?"

"I'm not sure how many friends he has."

"Ok what happened?"

"Well I went to the door and he was saying all this stuff about wanting to have fun and then he kissed me." Lorelai said trying to control herself from crying again.

"You kissed?" Mia asked shocked.

"No! He kissed me, took me by surprise but I pushed him away." Lorelai said.

"And Lucas knows?"

"I went straight to tell him. He punched Christopher."

"He punched him?"

"Yeah and now he'll barely speak to me."

"Is he mad at you?"

"He said he wasn't, but he's all broody. I hate it. I hate Christopher."

"I'll speak to him." Mia said.

"What? Don't."

"Not as your friend or boss but as his. His mother was a good friend of mine, he doesn't make parents to talk to and if he won't talk to you he won't talk to anyone. Unless of course someone makes him talk."

"He won't like that I told you."

"He'll get over it."

"He'll think I sent you."

"I'll tell him you didn't. Go get Sookie, you two can go on an early lunch." She told her and Lorelai looked thoughtful but left.

"Sookie," She said walking into the kitchen, "Mia said to take an early lunch, us two."

"Why?" She said removing her apron.

Lorelai shrugged, "just, me and her were chatting and well, I'll tell you outside ok?" She asked looking at everyone else in the kitchen.

"What is it?" Sookie asked leaving the Inn with Lorelai.

"Luke is going to kill me telling everyone this, but you and Mia can't hurt. Christopher kissed me."

Sookies eyes went wide, "but Luke, you love Luke, you married Luke."

"I know. He kissed me I shoved him away."

"Oh, then what's the problem?" Sookie asked.

"The problem is that he kissed me?" Lorelai replied confused.

"So?"

"What do you mean, 'so', I'm married."

"I mean so, you didn't kiss him, nothing you could do about it."

"I know but still Luke said he was ok but he's not ok. He won't talk to me, he's all tense."

"So that's the problem."

"Yes, that's the problem."

"Won't talk to you at all?"

"No he'll talk to me he just won't _talk_ to me. He's like mr monosyllable, I think he wants to punch him again."

"He punched him? See it's not like he's angry with you, he didn't punch you, he's just angry. He'll calm down."

"Of course he didn't punch me." Lorelai sighed.

Meanwhile Mia drove over to Lorelai's house. Luke was still out front helping Rory and Jess ride their bikes, or try to ride their bikes. Jess was considerably better than Rory despite Rory being a little bit taller. Rory however had a look of pure concentration on her face with her tongue sticking out of her mouth.

"Mia?" Luke asked standing up from where he had been crouched down next to Jess telling him again to be careful, "is everything ok? Is Lorelai ok?"

"Everything is fine, Lorelai is a little upset but she is ok. I wanted to talk to you."

"Oh." Luke said looking at his feet, which in a way was lucky because if he hadn't been Jess' stabiliser would have ran right over it, "careful, Jess." He repeated himself.

"Come sit on the porch with me," Mia said, "we can still see them."

"Ok." Luke sat down on the porch and waited for Mia to speak first as he watched Jess and Rory.

"Lorelai told me what happened." Mia started, "she also said she thinks you are mad at her."

"I'm not mad at her." Luke sighed.

"Then why won't you talk to her."

"I will talk to her." Luke countered stubbornly.

"Luke.." She said using his nickname.

"I'm fine Mia, I promise."

"No you aren't. I understand that you are upset, it's upsetting, but Lucas, She obviously didn't want it to happen, she obviously loves you so much. She's upset about it too."

"I already knew she loved me and didn't want to kiss anyone else, I didn't need this to show me that." He said grumpily.

Mia sighed, "Lucas, I know it's upsetting for you."

"You are right, it is upsetting for me," Luke interrupted her, "she shouldn't have told you."

"She did nothing wrong telling me, she was upset I asked her if she was ok, i told her she could talk to me. She didn't send me here, it was my idea. Luke if you aren't talking to her you aren't talking to anyone."

"So?" He asked gruffly.

"So, that not right Lucas, you don't have your parents anymore, you deserve someone."

"You aren't my mum, I'm fine."

"I know that but your mum meant a great deal to me and so do you."

"It's only suppose to be me." Luke said softly after a pause.

"What is?"

"Doesn't matter." Luke dismissed her.

Mia sighed, "just promise to speak to Lorelai when she gets home, ok?"

"Fine." He mumbled.

"Thankyou." She said giving him a hug before standing up. She said goodbye to Jess and Rory before heading back to the Inn.

Lorelai arrived home with a hug from Jess and Rory and went into the kitchen to see Luke who was cooking dinner.

"Hey." She said entering the room.

"Hi." He said shortly.

"Can we talk?" She asked.

"Tonight, after they've gone to bed."

"Ok." She said looking slightly let down.

"Come here." He said seeing her face and holding out his arms.

She walked into his arms and hugged him tightly.

"You're alright." He said gently giving her a kiss.

"Just alright?" She joked and Luke chuckled, "maybe a little better." He held his fingers up in front of them really close together.

"I really like spaghetti!" Rory said during dinner with sauce all around her mouth.

"Good." Luke smiled at her, "but I think you need a bath."


	27. Chapter 27

That night after they had put the kids to bed they went into their room.

"I'm tired," Lorelai yawned, "let's get ready for bed, we can chat in their."

"Ok."

They got changed and brushed their teeth, Luke quickly ran downstairs to lock the doors and came back up Lorelai was already in bed. He climbed in next to her. They lay facing each other.

"I'm sorry he did this." Lorelai broke the silence.

"Don't be sorry," he shook his head, "it's not your fault."

"I hate him too, if it's an consolation."

"You don't have to hate him," he said gently, "he's still an old friend of yours. You used to have fun."

"I do and don't say that, that's what he said. He shouldn't have done that, we had just been talking about you."

"What were you talking about?"

"The genius noticed I was pregnant and asked me who the father was."

"What happened? You told me but you were a bit hysterical, I didn't catch it all."

"He knocked on the door and I answered, I kept asking how he knew where I lived, he asked me about the pregnancy, he told me he got his mum to ask my mum where we lived anyway he started going on about how he dropped out of school and how nothing in his life is fun and that we used to have fun and then before I knew what was happening he kissed me and I pushed him away and yelled at him to go away then I went back inside and got Jess and Rory and came to the diner. Apparently he stuck around though because you were able to punch him."

"That did feel good. I never liked the guy but this does make having open hatred for him easier."

"It's only suppose to be you." She said softly, "you and our children, that's it."

"I know." He replied gently.

"I don't want anyone else." She said tears coming to her eyes.

"I know." He replied placing an arm around her and stroking her back to comfort her.

"I love you Luke." She said with emotion in her voice, "so much."

"I love you too crazy lady." He said pulling her close to him, removing the distance between them.

"Can we put this behind us?" She asked against his chest.

Luke nodded, "I would like that."

"I need you Luke."

"I know." He stroked her hair, "or else who would you get your food and coffee off?"

"No." She shook her head, "I need you. Not your food. Not your coffee. You."

"Well you have me." He promised her, "you'll always have me."

She shimmied up in the bed so that she could kiss him. He deepened the kiss and rolled over so that he had her pinned to the bed, "how would you like me now?" He asked seductively.

She reached her arms around his neck and pulled him down on top of her.

On New Year's Eve they went to the town New Year's Eve party held at Miss Patty's. They walked up towards it when Luke stopped.

"I'm going to go check on the diner," he said, "I might let Josh go on and close up tonight."

"Luke.." Lorelai moaned, "what about the party?"

"I'll come join you afterwards." He promised kissing her, "bye guys," he said to Rory and Jess, "I'll come back soon."

"Where are you going?" Jess asked.

"I'm just going to the diner."

"Can I Come?"

"Don't you want to stay with mummy and go to the party with her and Rory?"

"No, I want to come with you."

"It will be really boring." Luke told him and Jess held his gaze.

"Fine," luke said, "if you really want to come, you can."

Jess grinned and dropped Lorelai's hand and took Luke's.

"So we were suppose to go to the party all together and I've lost all my boys!" Lorelai said outraged.

"We'll be back." Luke reminded her, "we'll be gone hour, hour and a half, that's it, it's almost closing time anyway."

"Fine. I've still got this boy," she said her spare hand on her stomach, "he's stuck with me. Come on Rory, let's leave the boring boys and have fun at our party." She said continuing the walk up to miss Patty's with Rory as Luke and Jess went over to the diner.

"Where is everyone?" Sookie asked as she walked over to Lorelai as she walked in dragging Eric behind her.

"Just the girls for now," she smiled, "apart from this one, but he couldn't really help it." She joked, "the other weirdos are at the diner."

"Daddy's not a weirdo!" Rory huffed protectively.

"I know sweetie, I'm only joking." She picked Rory up onto her hip and kissed her cheek, "what about Jess? He's not a weirdo either."

"Jess stole my crayon."

"And he already said sorry and gave it back."

"Want something to drink?" Eric asked them.

"What have they got?" Lorelai asked.

"The punch is really good!" Sookie giggled.

"Not sure if it's appropriate for us."

"Oh yeah." She giggled some more.

"I think we'll get a soda." Lorelai giggled along slightly finding the laughter coming from her friend to be contagious.

Over a microphone came, "Hello, my name is Kirk and I will be your DJ for tonight."

"Ohhhh music! Let's dance!" Sookie grabbed a hand of both Eric and Lorelai, who still had Rory in her arms.

"Me and Rory are really good at dancing, aren't we?" Lorelai asked her daughter twirling her around causing her to giggle.

"Yeah!" She cheered and Lorelai dipped her forward in her arms.

Lorelai let out a large breath as she took a seat next to Sookie at the side, placing Rory in her lap, "boy, I'm tired." She said.

Sookie nodded along and made a sound that was probably suppose to be a word.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, Rory who was tired too was happy enough for the break.

"There's Luke." Lorelai said watching him walk in, "please see me, don't make me walk." She muttered as he and Jess stood awkwardly near the entrance.

He stopped bootsy as she walked past and said something to her. Bootsy then pointed in her direction and Lorelai lifted her hand in greeting as he made his way over.

"I was expecting more energy from you." He grinned as he saw her slumped in the corner.

"You missed energy. This is what comes after energy."

"That's a pity, I was going to see if you wanted to dance." He said smiling slightly.

"You hate dancing." She accused.

"Yeah but I just thought.. never mind you are too tired anyway."

"No I'm not." She said standing up.

"No no no, it's ok." He told her.

"No you said you would dance, you will dance."

"I didn't say I would dance."

"You said you had intentions of dancing with me tonight. I'm here to make those intentions reality."

Luke looked like he was trying to come up with something smart to say back, coming up blank he went with, "no."

"Yes." Lorelai replied quickly, "you guys are ok with Sookie aren't you? While mummy and daddy dance for one song?" She asked Rory and Jess placing her hand on Jess' head. They both nodded and Lorelai had to tap Sookie a few too many times to get her attention.

"Me and Luke are going to dance, we will be back in one song, keep an eye on the offspring won't you?"

"You got it." Sookie said sleepily.

"See they're in great hands." Lorelai told Luke as they looked back to see Jess in Eric's lap and Sookie picking up Rory to place in her own.

"I don't know how to dance like this." Luke said as he stood awkwardly on the dance floor where Lorelai had dragged him.

"You've danced with me loads of times, relax." Lorelai told him putting her arms around him.

"This is different." He replied placing his arms around her easily.

"What about we just go for an over the top waltz?" Lorelai asked.

"This isn't really a waltzing song."

"That's why it will be over the top." She replied positioning herself properly and throwing her body weight into her movements. Luke chuckled and held is hand out for her to spin. She spun out and then spun back in really quickly falling against him in a fit of laughter. Luke chuckled too, spinning her back out to the normal position.

As midnight grew closer Luke held a sleeping Rory against him and stood next to a seat where Lorelai sat with a sleeping Jess curled into her.

"So?" Lorelai asked, "how has your year been?" She said with only minutes left in the year.

"Well," Luke grinned, "I had my first wedding anniversary, found out my wife was pregnant with our little boy, and my other little boy and my little girl turned 3. I also fell in love with my wife more every single day."

"That's corny." Lorelai grinned standing up carefully and kissing him "and sweet. The smallest amount of alcohol you get all mushy."

"And True." He added kissing her again.

Sookie stumbles up to them pulling Lorelai back a little at least trying to, "no kissing until new year." She slurred.

"Sorry." Lorelai grinned at her, "we'll behave, I promise."

"You better." Sookie tried to point a finger at her.

"I have just been informed, by my watch, that it is 1 minute until midnight." Kirk announced over the microphone then added, "well really it is my mothers watch but I borrowed it for this evening."

"Such a peculiar boy." Lorelai grinned at Luke and Sookie stumbled away to find Eric.

"He does no harm." Luke said.

"Think we can wait that long?"

"Wait? For what?"

"Midnight, no kissing."

"It'll be a challenge but I think we will manage." Luke rolled his eyes and then almost kissed her, "I might be wrong." He mumbled repositioning Rory onto his other shoulder without waking her up.

"10

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1"

Luke pulled Lorelai against him without disturbing Rory and Jess and gave her a long lingering kiss, "let's go home." He said pulling away.

"Ok." Lorelai agreed, "what are we going to do when we go home, though. We've had our first kiss of the new year, what else could we do?" She asked slowly pretending to think.

"Walk quickly crazy lady." Luke whispered to her.

A few days after new year Luke had an appointment at the back, there was a big wedding at the Inn so Lorelai couldn't go with him.

He came downstairs that morning and walked into the kitchen where Rory Jess and Lorelai still sat in their pyjamas.

"Very smart," Lorelai said standing up and putting an arm around his neck, "you look like you are going to my parents."

"Well, banks like collars." He blushed slightly and kissed her, "I've got to go." He kissed her again and then stepped back and said goodbye to Rory and Jess before leaving.

"Where's daddy going?" Rory asked once he left.

"Narnia." Lorelai said without thinking.

"Where's Narnia?"

"He's going to the bank." Lorelai corrected herself.

"Can I go?" Rory asked.

"No, we have to get you dressed and then off the nursery." Lorelai replied lifting her and Jess off their seats and shooing them up the stairs.

Later that day Lorelai knocked on the brides door, "Hey," she smiled as she was invited inside, "just wanted to make sure that everything was ok, we will start in 20 minutes."

The young bride who was in the room by herself smiled back at Lorelai, "Thankyou, it's all so lovely here."

"It really is, I got married here myself." She smiled and played with her ring.

"Oh," the bride said sounding interested she turned full in her chair, "how long have you been married?"

"2 years in June."

"Any advice?" She asked.

"Advice for what?"

"For getting married? I'm really nervous." She laughed nervously, "I sent everyone out, they where all fussing over me and they all seemed happier than me."

"Well," Lorelai tried to think of something to say, "it's natural to be a little nervous, all the attention is going to be on you. And it is a large commitment."

"Do you ever regret it?"

"Getting married? No, my husband is the best."

"Did you have doubts before you got married?" The young bride asked looking nervous.

"Umm no, but I was already living with him, we had children together, not much was really going to change apart from a new piece of jewellery and my name." She shrugged then when the girl, who she guessed was about her age, looked like she wanted to say something but wasn't sure if she should, asked gently, "do you have doubts?" She sat down on the edge of the bed.

"It's not that he isn't great, he is, it's just... well I'm being silly, when you get pregnant you get married, a child needs a mother and a father. I got pregnant, I have to get married." The girl said squaring her jaw and nodding.

"How old are you?" Lorelai asked.

"17." The girl blushed.

"You don't have to you know." Lorelai said gently, "I probably shouldn't be telling you this but I'm going to tell you anyway. I got pregnant with my daughter Rory when I was 16."

"And you got married." The girl said.

"No, well I did, but not. My husband, he isn't her birth father, he adopted her, we both adopted his nephew. Her birth father, my parents wanted me to marry him, he said he would marry me so it was decided we were to get married. But I said no. I was too young and I didn't love Christopher enough, he was good fun, he was not the love of my life." She sighed, "you sounded like my mother there, when you get pregnant you get married, a child needs a mother and a father, those phrases where on a loop when I was pregnant."

"You didn't, but I have to, Don't I?" The girl asked, "Brian isn't that bad, he's not prefect, a bit moody sometimes, but he is normally nice enough, he will provide for us. We will be a proper family, that's what's suppose to happen."

"He isn't that bad? Is that really how you want to describe your husband?" Lorelai asked the girl then realised what she was saying and stood up, "I'm sorry, i shouldn't be saying this, I'm sorry, I only came to check up, I'll go." She pointed to the doo and then hurried out. She leant against the wall with a grimace.

15 minutes later the bride who has been in a wedding dress before walked into the front lobby is normal clothes and came up to Lorelai, "I don't want to." She whispered to her.

"Ok," Lorelai nodded and lead her knot Mia's office before anyone realised, "ok, we will sort this out fro you, ok? You just stay here." She said pointing to the sofa.

Lorelai rushed out of the office and found Mia with a panicked look on her face, "Mia!"

"Lorelai! What's wrong? Are you ok?" She asked noticing the look on her face taking her aroma in her own to get her full attention.

"I'm really sorry, but I think I broke up the wedding." She grimaced again.

"What? How?"

"I was speaking to the bride and now she doesn't want to get married."

"What happened, what did you say?"

"I'm really sorry, but she told me the only reason that she was getting married was because she was pregnant and I kept thinking about if I'd married Christopher, and well one thing led to another and she said the guy, Brian, isn't that bad and I asked is that really how you want to describe your husband? And well then I left and she got out of her wedding dress and came out here and told me she doesn't want to get married, so I came to get you." Lorelai said without taking a breath.

"Where is she?" Mia asked softly.

"In your office, I'm really sorry."

"It's ok Lorelai, let's go." She led the way to the office where the girl was sitting crying on the sofa.

"Hey sweetie," Mia said gently sitting down next to the girl, "what's going on?"

"I don't know." The girl sobbed.

"Do you want us to get anyone?" Mia asked.

"No!" She said quickly looking up scared.

"Ok," Mia assured her, "so what's going on?"

"Brian, He is a nice guy, he is, I mean I'm pregnant with his baby of course I think he is decent. But, but, that's it. I think he is decent. Your friend told me she got married here, when she spoke about her husband she had the biggest smile, I want that." They both looked at Lorelai who looked at the ground and blushed.

"Sorry." She mumbled again.

"No," the girl said then turned to Mia, "Are you her boss? Please don't be mad at her? She didn't do anything wrong, I promise!" She said looking guilty.

"I'm not mad at her." Mia smiled and Lorelai sighed, "if you don't want to get married, you shouldn't get married, but people are going to be looking for you, we have to go out and tell them."

"They're going to be so mad." The girl said chewing her lip with wide eyes.

"They'll get over it." Lorelai said reassuringly.

"They won't let me go home."

"I'm sure they will." Mia said.

"No they won't, they were so angry when I got pregnant in the first place. Did you ever wonder why this wedding was planned so fast. A week and a half ago I told them I was pregnant, this was the only place that would give us a wedding so quickly, a lot of money has been put into this. They have a plan, I have to follow there plan."

"You don't." Mia told her with a rebellious smile, "this child is yours. Yours and Brian's that's it. And he doesn't have a right to marry you just because you are pregnant."

"You think?" She asked looking really young.

"I know, sweetie. Should have seen that one when I first met her." She pointed at Lorelai, "younger than you are, tiny little baby in her arms asking for a job with such determination on her face."

"I was terrified." Lorelai said.

"You didn't show it. You looked like you were ready to take on the world with Rory in tow." Mia chuckled.

"You gave her a job? Just like that? It's that easy?"

"Yeah," Mia shrugged, "I always need maids, and anyway I could see that she would work her but off and boy did she. Out preformed my other maids by a mile and she had a little baby with her."

The girl took a deep breath and squared her jaw, wiped her face clear of tears and said in a slightly shaky voice, "Can I have a job?"

Mia looked her up and down, "sure you can," she smiled, "I'm always looking for maids."

"Seriously!" She grinned, "Thankyou."

"Where do you live?" Mia asked.

"Hartford." She answered instantly.

"Quite far everyday."

"I want to get my own place, for me and my baby when it comes along, but I can't really afford anything yet. I do not want to raise my baby in my parents house, I need out of there as soon as I can." She paused, "not that they really want me there anyway, I'm a disgrace you see."

"No you aren't." Lorelai spoke up, "you seem nice enough to me." The girl smiled at her.

"We have to go tell them." Mia said standing up and leading the three of them out of the office.

"Sarah!" An angry voice cut across the room that sounded remarkable like Emily Gilmore, "where have you been? And what are you wearing?" The Emily Gilmore look alike grabbed the girl, Sarah's, arm and started dragging her towards her room, "honestly, what is wrong with you? Go get changed." She shook her head and Sarah stopped walking.

"No!" She said sounding stubborn.

Mia and Lorelai stood with a crowd of onlookers, everyone captivated by what looked like it would be a scene.

"What do you mean, no?" The mother asked in an outraged tone.

"I mean no, I don't want to get married, mother. I'm sorry I wasted everyones time, I should have been brave enough to say it before, but I'm too young, me and Brian aren't in love. It would be wrong to get married."

"You and Brian aren't in love? Are you not? Well aren't I glad to hear that! I don't care, you got pregnant, you get married, I've told you before Sarah, a child needs a mother and a father."

"And they will, they will, just not a mother and father who are married."

"Then what's your master plan?" The mother asked placing her hands on her hips and raising a condescending eyebrow.

"I'm going to work."

"No one will let you work for them, you didn't even finish high school, you are pregnant, for goodness sake!"

"I will." Mia offered up.

"What?" The mum turned to her, "you want my daughter, to work here? Let me guess as some common waitress, or a made or something ridiculous like that!"

"Yes, mother, I'm going to be a maid here!" She said standing tall with pride.

"No you will not!" Her mother shouted, "not while you live under my roof!"

"Then I won't live under your roof!" She shouted back.

"No?" The mother laughed, "Where Will you live then?"

"Here." Mia offered up again and Sarah turned to her shocked and Mia nodded at her.

"For goodness sake!" He mother yelled, "Fine! Stay here, be some stupid maid, see if I care!" The mother yelled and stormed out quickly followed by her husband who shot their daughter a dirty look before leaving.

Sarah slumped with that over until a young man came out of the crowds, looking slightly upset, "Sarah?" He asked softly.

"Brian." She sighed, "I'm sorry, I just can't."

"Can we talk?" He asked and she nodded and they walked to his room.

"Nothing to see here," Mia said to the group of confused guests after the two left, "it doesn't look like there is going to be a wedding, but for your inconvenience I would like to defer you all dinner on the house anyway." She said and the crowd dispersed, some left, some went to the over crowded dining room.

Mia and Lorelai moved to stand behind the desk and after everyone had been taken care Lorelai spoke up, "she's going to live here?"

"The old potting shed? I can do it up quite nicely cheaply, it won't be great but it will be a safe roof over her head." Mia shrugged.

"I feel really bad." Lorelai admitted.

"Why?"

"I kinda caused all of this." She said sheepishly.

"It was probably for the best." Mia assured her, "and you didn't mean to. You just love our little Lucas too much." She teased with a smile.

Lorelai blushed and smiled, "what can I say?" She asked with a shrug.

"She's right you know. That smile of yours would be quite off putting if you weren't sure."

"What smile of mine?"

"Your Luke smile. You do it when you talk about him, it's incredibly cute."

"I don't have a Luke smile." Lorelai replied shaking her head.

"You do," Mia smiled at her, "it's all lovey dovey." She teased.

"No it's not."

"It's not?"

"No."

"What ever you say." Mia smirked.

"Good, we should have that attitude more often." Lorelai said as Sarah came back towards them.

"Did you mean it?" Sarah asked Mia, "Can I really stay here?"

"It's not much," Mia said, "but I've got an old putting shed out back, next to the lake, it's clean and safe and warm, it would be easy for me to do it up, it's plumbed and everything, don't worry about that, but of you want it it's yours."

"Thankyou." She said sincerely.

"It'll be ready in about a week in the mean time you can stay in a room at the Inn."

"And I can start work tomorrow?" She asked.

"Sure you can." She chuckled at her eagerness.

"Thankyou, so much, I really appreciate this. I don't think I've ever met anyone this generous."

"It's no problem really. I think I'm going to get a good worker out of this." She smiled at her again, "now I've got a lot to do. Lorelai, why don't you bring Sarah here around town?"

"Ok."

Lorelai and Sarah left the Inn, "I'll give you a quick run through of the town, we can finish off at the diner, it belongs to my husband, so we can get free pie." Lorelai grinned at her.

"Lorelai?" Sarah asked getting her attention.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

"You have nothing to thank me for." Lorelai assured her.

They arrived at the diner and Luke looked up to see who had entered, "Lorelai!" He said excited.

"Luke!" Lorelai copied his tone then gasped, "the bank? What did they say?" She rushed over to him.

"We can do it." He grinned at her.

She grinned back and threw her arms around him.

"It'll be expensive, but we can do it."

"We are so doing it." She squeezed him tightly and then whispered in his ear, "In more than one way, if you know what I mean."

Luke chuckled, "not here." He said into her ear.

"Well obviously not," she leant back with her arms still around him, "that would just be indecent."

"Lorelai."

"I'm just saying there are a lot of people here." She shrugged.

"How was the wedding?" He changed the subject, "how did you get away so quickly?"

"Funny story there." She blushed and turned around and pointed to Sarah who was sat at a table looking at them, "That's Sarah, she was the bride. I accidentally split up the wedding."

"You split up the wedding?"

"Accidentally." She corrected, "if anything it's your fault."

"Hows That?" He crossed his arms over his chest.

"Well, you married me."

"Can't deny that."

"At the Inn."

"Also true."

"And well I told her that I got married at the Inn."

"Factually accurate."

"Stop interrupting after every sentence."

"You keep pausing and anyway it's fun." He grinned.

She rolled her eyes, "and I'm not sure what I was thinking but I told her how amazing you are."

"Undeniable."

"And well she didn't think that Brian dude was so amazing."

"Poor Brian."

"I think decent was the word she used."

"Ouch."

"And she said she was kinda pressured into it because she is pregnant and only 17 and I kinda told her how I didn't marry Christopher and how that worked out brilliantly and one thing led to another and now she works and lives at the Inn."

"She lives at the Inn?"

"Yeah Mia said she'd do up the old potting shed."

"Classy."

"Get us some food, won't you?"

"What do you want?"

"Pie." She walked back over to Sarah, "Sorry about that." She apologised for just running off.

"No it's ok." Sarah smiled at her and nodded towards Luke, "I take it that's Luke."

"Yep, that's Luke." She smiled back as Luke brought them over some pie.

"Anything else?" He asked.

"Yes," Lorelai started in a mocking tone, "I'll have..."

"Not you." He said, "can I get you anything?" He asked Sarah.

"Could I have some water please."

"No problem." He went to walk away and Lorelai grabbed his wrist, "I'll have a drink too."

"What?" He asked.

"Dunno yet, surprise me."

"Ok crazy lady." He chuckled.

"He's cute." Sarah said after he left.

"Hands off, hes mine." Lorelai joked with a pointed finger.

"No, I meant the way he acts." She laughed, "he's cute with me."

"Don't spread that around, he has a persona to keep up." Lorelai chuckled and Luke set some green thing in front of her.

"What's that?"

"A smoothie." He smiled.

"There must of been some confusion." She picked it up and handed it back to him, "I meant something nice."

"Why don't you just order then?"

"Where's the fun in that?"

"How about a hot chocolate?"

"Ohh Yeah! But say something like you'll pick something out so it's still a surprise."

"I'll pick something out." He rolled his eyes.

"See," Sarah said, "that was cute."

"You want to see cute? You should see Rory and Jess."

"Your kids?"

"Yeah, they're three." Lorelai smiled.

"Twins?" She asked.

"No." Lorelai chuckled, "want to here a story?" She asked as Luke set a hot chocolate in front of her, "a hot chocolate! What a good choice!" She faked surprise and Luke rolled his eyes and smiled at her.

"What story?" Sarah asked.

"Well I got pregnant with Rory when I was 16, Well I had her when I was 16, I technically got pregnant when I was 15 but anyway. I got pregnant, my parents went crazy, me and Christopher were terrified, his parents went crazy. So it was decided we would get married, Christopher very romantically asked me, 'wanna?' My answer was no. That didn't go over well but I'm as stubborn as they are. Anyway I wanted out of there but I didn't have the money so I had to stay, I had plans to leave with my baby girl as soon as I could though. Anyway I went into labour and had Rory. I didn't actually tell anyone I was going to the hospital, my parents found a note, they told Chris, they all came, my parents yelled, I wasn't to call her Lorelai I was to call her a nice name like Susan, Lorelai was nice enough when they were picking names. Chris didn't even hold her. Eventually they all left and me and Rory went for a walk down the hall. That's where I met Luke, he was slumped against a wall and now that I know him, let me say, very out of character, he asked a total stranger if he could talk to them, then realised what he had done and started babbling," she chuckled and shook her head and continued, "anyway, he was freaked out. His sister, my age, had just had a baby boy, Jess, but she had also decided she didn't want him and had told Luke he could raise him or she'd get him adopted, that's what had freaked him out enough to talk to strangers, bit of a surprise, anyway we ended up chatting, neither of us had anywhere to go or enough money to get a place by ourselves. And this is the bit I still don't believe sometimes, even though I lived it, we, two strangers, freaked out and tired strangers but still strangers, agreed to rent out a place together, room mates, we could afford it together and we would be appreciative of each other's new born experience. Luke went back to check on Jess and Liz had just left him she'd ran off to New York. I went home with my parents the next day and then that night Luke picked me up and brought me to stars Hallow. His family friend introduced me to Mia who got me my job."

"Wow, That is a story." Sarah chuckled, "very good how did you meet story. So when did you two get together?"

"Well Rory and Jess, where about three months old, it was just before Rory got that ear infection, so three months after. Luke was adopting Jess. Then when they were six months old we got in a competition to see what baby would say mama or dada first, you know real mature stuff. Anyway on my birthday we were all on my bed and I was trying to get Rory to say mama but she wouldn't, so I pretended to be sad and Jess, my sweet little boy, crawled over and said mama to me. Me and Luke froze, we hadn't talked about that, we had been taking care of both of them together but well, Jess not sure what to do with the tension just shouted it louder."

"Awkward. But I do have one question, who won the bet?"

"Me, I got both of them before Luke got one."

"Anyway after the shock wore off we decided that it wasn't that big of a deal, I loved him as a son and he loved Rory as a daughter. Then Luke asked me to marry me." She grinned, "and to get an already long story short, I adopted Jess he adopted Rory and we got married, at the Inn, June third 1986."

"Wow, you sure do have a story to tell."

"Yep." She grinned, "and more to come." She smiled with a hand on her stomach.

"Are you nervous?"

"What for?"

"The birth, I'm terrified and I'm way less pregnant than you are."

"I'm not that pregnant! I'm only 4 months. And yeah kinda, it's painful, but you get a little baby out of it. Trust me it's beyond worth it, you'll forget it was painful for a while. Really I can't wait, I want to meet my baby boy."

"It's a boy? I don't know what mine is yet, I'm not pregnant enough, I don't know what I want though."

"I could tell. With Rory and this one."

"Really? How? I can't?"

Lorelai shrugged, "just could."

"Are you sure it wasn't a lucky guess."

"No, you sound like Luke, don't start telling me that each time the odds are 50-50 that I'll guess right, and I could tell."

"Could you tell you were pregnant before you took the test?"

"Nope, but pretty soon after I knew of it was a boy or a girl."

"He has a point with the odds thing."

"Nope. Anyway we better get back to the Inn. I can show you around there if you want or if you want you can probably go lie down, that room you booked is still technically yours."

"No thanks, my wedding dress is in there."

"Yeah probably a good call." Lorelai said getting up Luke came over to her.

"You going?" He asked.

"Yeah." He leaned up slightly and kissed him.

"Ok, see you at dinner." He smiled and kissed her quickly again before they left.

"See even that was cute." Sarah said and Lorelai laughed.

"So I've told you my life story, tell me about yourself."

"Not really much to tell that you don't know, my name is Sarah Brandon, daughter of Emily and Simon,"

"No kidding my mum is called Emily too, and let me tell you from the little I saw, a carbon copy."

"Yeah well I don't really have an exciting story to tell. I got pregnant they got mad, I was to get married, your Inn was the only place that would do it so quickly, I think you had a cancellation or something so everything was already organised, I guess you just had enough, sorry about that. So I'm pregnant, and that's the only exciting thing about me." She shrugged.

"Well your life is going to get a lot more exciting." Lorelai promised her as the walked back to the Inn, "why don't you come to dinner at our house tonight, you can come with me to get Jess and Rory, get some baby practice, although they aren't so little anymore."

"Really? I don't want to intrude."

"You wouldn't be, It'll be fun. Rory loves new people."

"Not Jess?"

"Sometimes, Jess can be a bit of a mommas boy though." She said proudly.


	28. Chapter 28

After a quick tour of the Inn Lorelai went back to work, and Sarah went to sign papers with Mia to get her started. Once it was time to leave Lorelai went up to the room Sarah was staying in and knocked on the door.

"Hi." Sarah smiled opening the door and seeing who it was.

"Hey, I'm just about to head off, you coming?"

"You sure no one will mind."

"No one will mind, I promise. I phoned Luke to let him know."

"Ok." Sarah put her shoes back on and they headed out.

First stop was the nursery, "mummy!" Rory ran out and jumped into her arms.

"Hey sweetie!" Lorelai grinned at her, "any particular reason for the greeting or are you just happy."

"I'm happy!" Rory grinned back.

"Why?"

Rory shrugged.

"Ok sweets." She kissed her cheek and set her down and gave Jess, who was standing next to her, a hug and a kiss.

"Hi." He said.

"Hi right back at you." She replied.

"Guys, this is Sarah, she's new to town and is going to work with mummy so she's going to come to dinner at our house today."

"Hi Sarah!" Rory grinned at her.

"Hello." Jess mumbled from behind Lorelais leg so Lorelai bent down and picked him up, "no need for that Jess, she's nice, I promise."

Luke arrived home about a half hour after they did with bags of food in his hand.

"Daddy!" Rory ran up to him with the same excitement she had ran up to Lorelai with.

"Hey princess!" He said placing the bags on the ground so he could catch her as she jumped at him, "why are you so excited?" He asked her, "what did mummy give you?" He narrowed his eyes at Lorelai.

"Nothing." Lorelai stood up and walked over to them, "She was like this when I picked her up too, she's just happy."

"Good." Luke kissed her cheek and placed her back on the ground.

"Hey Jess," He said to Jess who hadn't moved from where he sat on the floor next to Sarah, "good to see you too."

"Hi." Jess said absentmindedly.

"Right," Luke said, "ready to eat?"

"Yep, I'm starving." Lorelai said picking up one of the bags and digging through it.

"So, Sarah?" Luke asked he came back to the table with a drink for Jess, "how are you settling in? Have you met the crazy people of the town yet."

"Umm I'm not sure," she said them turned to Lorelai, "have I?"

"You'd know." Luke said, "they're all crazy."

"You are one of them." Lorelai pointed out.

"No I am not." He shook his head, "look forward to meeting Taylor." He told Sarah.

"What's wrong with Taylor?" She asked.

"He's not that bad." Lorelai said emphasising the word that.

"I think he is funny." Rory said.

"No you don't." Luke told her.

"I don't like him." Jess added.

"Good lad." Luke smiled at him.

"No," Lorelai said, "not good lad, Jess that's not nice."

"What did he do?" Sarah asked.

"He is just so annoying. Thinks he owns the whole town and he takes his imaginary roles very seriously, always bugging me for something."

"To be fair, if you agreed to some of the things he said he wouldn't bug you so much." Lorelai pointed out with a grin knowing how Luke would react.

"No, I'm not giving him what he wants, he has no right to tell me how to decorate, or do anything else with my business. If I give into him he wins, he doesn't get to win." Luke shook his head and Lorelai giggled at him.

"You met Miss Patty." Lorelai pointed out to Sarah.

"She's crazy too." Luke grumbled.

"She was a little strange." Sarah said slowly, "but she seemed nice."

"She is." Lorelai assured her, "and Babette too, the two of them are gossips, but they are nice people."

"Mia seems really nice." Sarah said.

"Now that we can all agree on." Lorelai nodded, "even Lucas here."

"Don't call me Lucas."

"But Mia does."

"Mia gets too, she's known me since I was a baby, you have not."

Lorelai opened her mouth and from the look on her face Luke knew she was going to say something possible inappropriate so he cut her off with, "children." And she closed her mouth again and said, "just know what I was about to say was very witty."

"I'm sure." Luke smiled at her.

After dinner Lorelai gave Sarah a lift back to the Inn as Luke got the kids ready for bed. She pulled up outside the Inn and got out of the car with Sarah, "you don't have to walk me up." Sarah smiled at her, "thanks for the evening, it was really nice."

"You're welcome, but I want to ask Mia something."

"Ok then." They started the short walk up to the Inn.

"You have a really nice family." Sarah told Lorelai.

"Thanks." She blushed slightly, "You will too, in not too long."

Sarah paused for a minute, "Oh you mean the baby, Yeah, I couldn't figure out what you meant for a second."

Lorelai laughed, "trust me as soon as you have the little one, well, your life will change, you can't even begin to imagine it."

"I hope so." She smiled as they entered the Inn and Mia saw them.

"You are still in the same room as before sweetheart." Mia told Sarah coming over to them.

"Thanks." Sarah smiled at her and then gave Lorelai a hug, "I'll see you tomorrow?" She asked.

"Yeah." Lorelai hugged her back and her and Mia watched her leave.

"I hope she'll be ok." Mia said sounding worried.

"She will be." Lorelai said confidently, "I wanted to ask you something." She told Mia.

"What?"

"You said before I have a Luke smile."

"You do."

"Does he have a me smile?" She grinned.

Mia laughed, "Lucas? God, yes. You have met him haven't you?"

"Once or twice."

"He has a You smile, definitely."

"Good, I better get going." Lorelai said.

Mia watched her walked over with a smile. Once she left she chuckled and shook her head returning to the desk.

Lorelai arrived home and went upstairs where Luke Jess and Rory lay on Rory's bed, Luke in the middle with a book on his knee and an arm around each of them. Rory slowly but accurately was reading the book out loud. Lorelai stood in the doorway with a smile and watched as Rory's reading gradually slowed and stopped as she fell asleep. Once she was asleep Luke got up from the bed taking Jess with him in his arms. He kissed Rory's head and tucked the blanket around her properly leaving her light off and her door open. "Hey." He whispered to Lorelai as he passed her and they all walked into Jess' room.

Jess was still awake but quiet.

"You ok, Buddy?" Luke asked as he sat him down on the bed and tucked him under the covers.

Jess nodded and just said, "thinking."

"Thinking?" Luke asked, "what about?"

"Dunno yet." Jess mumbled back.

"You don't know?" Lorelai asked and Jess shook his head.

"Go to sleep baby." Lorelai kissed his head, "you're tired."

Luke and Lorelai went back downstairs, "that was strange." Luke said looking slightly concerned.

"What was?"

"I don't know what I'm thinking about?"

"Yeah a bit, he was probably just half asleep." Lorelai brushed it off, "although he has seemed a bit quiet all day."

"Yeah, I noticed that."

"We'll see what he is like tomorrow, we can speak to him."

"Yeah."

"So, tell me everything, when can we move?" Lorelai asked with a grin.

Luke grinned back, "well the current owners are moving into their new house in two weeks, the contracts should be all sorted out by then, so I guess in two weeks."

"Wow. When should we pack?"

"I guess we should just get started packing anything we aren't going to be using in the next few weeks, but we should leave most of it until later."

"I'll ask Mia for a few days off, I have some holiday days."

"If she won't mind."

"She won't. This is so exciting!" She grinned, "awww, but this house, I'm going to miss this house. This is where we got to know each other, this was our beginning, this is where we kissed for the first time, where Jess called me mama, where you asked me to marry me." She smiled sweetly, "it has so many memories, our first time, in this house, everything."

"Not his conception." Luke said placing a hand on her swollen stomach.

"No, but nearly everything else, I'm going to miss it."

"We can't stay here for ever."

"I know, I want to move into the new house, I really do, but I'm just going to miss this one, I don't want other people living in our house."

"It won't be our house."

"Exactly my problem."

"You're crazy." He smiled at her.

"Is that your Lorelai smile?" She asked him.

"My What?"

"Mia said you have a Lorelai smile, is that it?"

"I do not have a Lorelai smile." He shook his head.

"No?" She smiled at him.

"No, is that your Luke smile?"

"Apparently." She kissed him, "but I don't buy it."

"Don't buy what?" He kissed her again.

"That I have a Luke smile." She kissed him.

"But you think I have a Lorelai smile?" He kissed her and pulled her closer to him on the couch.

"Totally, you are crazy about me." She grinned.

"Nuh-uh, you are the crazy one." He pulled her back against his lips and they didn't speak again.

The next day before they put the kids to bed they carried them downstairs in their pyjamas and sat on the sofa. Rory sat in Lorelai's lap and Jess in Luke's.

"So guys," Lorelai started with a smile, "we have some excited new to tell you."

Rory squealed, "I'm getting a sister?" She guessed with great enthusiasm.

"No sweetie," Lorelai laughed, "still a brother."

"Oh."

"The exciting news is that we are going to move to a new house."

"No thankyou." Rory shook her head.

"No thankyou?" Luke asked her.

"I like this house, let's stay here. It's where I live."

"It is where you live. But pretty soon you will live in the new house." Luke explained.

"No." She shook her head looking concerned, "what about my bedroom?"

"You'll have a new bedroom sweetie, and it will still have all your stuff in it." Lorelai promised her.

"But my bedroom will miss me." Rory said looking sad.

"It'll be ok." Luke said.

"Will we all live there, together?" Jess asked.

"Course we will." Lorelai smiled at him.

"Ok." Jess shrugged.

"Do you want to know something cool about the new house?" Lorelai asked, "it's where daddy, used to live when he was a little boy."

"Really?" Rory looked up to Luke with wide eyes and Luke nodded in confirmation.

"Did you have a bedroom?" Rory asked him.

"Yes, I had a bedroom." He chuckled.

"Is it still there?"

"It's still there."

"Can I have that one?"

"Sure you can." Luke shrugged.

"What about me?" Jess asked with a pout.

"There are lots of bedrooms, you can pick one." Luke told him and he shrugged again.

"Ready for bed?" Lorelai asked standing up.

"When do we go?" Rory asked.

"Two weeks."

"How many days is that."

"14."

"How many's That?" She asked.

"Not lots." Jess replied, "a grandma."

"Oh."

"A grandma?" Luke asked him as he walked him upstairs.

"A grandma is 14, isn't it? I think that's what I count." Jess tilted his head a little bit.

"Do you mean days between going to grandmas house for dinner?" Lorelai asked and Jess nodded, "you're a smart boy." Lorelai told him.

"Story in Rorys room or Jess'?" Luke asked.

"Mine!" Rory shouted wriggling out of Lorelais arms and running to the book shelf.

With two sleeping children upstairs Luke and Lorelai walked downstairs, "how did he get so smart?" Luke asked, "it's not from Liz I can tell you that much."

Lorelai shrugged, "you're smart."

"Not really." He shook his head.

"Stupid people can have smart babies, look at Rory."

"You aren't stupid, you are as sharp as can be, Christopher, I'll give you that one."

Lorelai laughed, "be nice."

"Not to him."

The next Friday they went to dinner at her parents house as always.

"Tell them." Luke whispered into her ear after they had been sitting at drinks for a while and many perfect opportunities had come up to tell her parents that they where going to move house in under a week.

"I will." She replied, not entirely meaning it, she still thought it would be better to tell them after it happened.

"So Rory?" Emily asked with a smile, "anything new with you?"

Rory scrunched up her mouth to the side in consideration, "Well I'm still saying good bye to my room." She said absentmindedly, "and yesterday me and Lane got the best toys in nursery."

Lorelai flinched when Rory said she was saying good bye to her room and froze hoping her mum wouldn't notice.

"What was that? Saying goodbye to your room?"

"Before I move into daddy's old room."

"I get to pick my own." Jess replied proudly.

"What are they talking about Lorelai?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"No."

"Nothing at all?"

"Well we are moving." She mumbled.

"When where you planning to tell us?" Emily asked.

"Next dinner."

"When are you moving?"

"Next Thursday. I just wanted to be in first."

"Why? What are we going to do?"

"I dunno mum, I just did, ok? Don't take in personally."

"She's acting weird," Luke said, trying to diffuse the situation, "hormones."

"I am not acting weird because of hormones!" She said turning to Luke annoyed at him.

"You are a little bit."

"When?"

"This morning with the squirrel?"

"That squirrel was looking at me funny, what did you want me to do, go outside and challenge it?"

"The squirrel wasn't looking at you funny, it was a squirrel."

"Agree to disagree my friend."

"Where are you moving to?" Emily asked changing the subject.

"Still stars Hallow, Lukes childhood home actually, that's what Rory was saying, we said she could have Luke's old room."

"Ah." She nodded, "that sounds very nice."

"You can come see it if you want," Lorelai offered, "Once we are settled in."

"That sounds nice." Emily nodded, this time with a smile.

Over the weekend serious packing started, something that was difficult to do with two three year olds. Rory was particularly sad about her room being packed up.

"No daddy, please don't!" She begged and Luke emptied her bookshelf filled with books and toys into boxes.

"You'll get them back, it's just for a few days." Luke promised, "you've got all those ones we picked out remember, enough for bedtime stories and lots of toys to play with." He pointed to a small pile in the centre of the room.

"But they don't belong in boxes, that's not where they live." Rory huffed.

"I know sweetie, but they have to go in the boxes or else we can't move house." He reminded her.

"Let's just stay then." Rory said sitting down on the floor stubbornly and hugging her stuffed chicken.

"But we went to see the new house this morning, remember, you really liked it? And that bedroom I showed you, the bedroom that was mine when I was your age, it has more room for all your stuff, and you can paint the walls pink, you can come with me to the shop and pick exactly which one you want, ok?"

Rory didn't reply just fiddled with her toy.

"Rory," Luke crouched down infront of her, "I know you don't want to move, you like it here, I get it, I do too. But you will have just as much fun in the new house too. Ill be there and mummy will be there and Jess too and pretty soon your new little brother too. The back garden is bigger too, remember we saw it? So you can play more out there, especially as you get bigger. And at the bottom of the garden there is a tree with a rope swing on it, that my daddy put up for my little sister and me, your grandpa William, remember I told you about him? It's loads of fun, I promise."

"Ok." She mumbled looking a bit happier.

"But before we can move there we have to pack up this house first."

"Ok."

"Good girl." He smiled at her and went back to packing up the items she wouldn't need in the next few days.

Wednesday night Lorelai sat in bed with tears in her eyes, "I'm going to miss this place."

"I know you will." Luke said placing his arms around her and planting a kiss to the side of her head, "but as I've said many times to Rory, we will have just as much fun in the new house, it's not the house that made us have a good time."

"Are you saying I'm acting like a three year old?" Lorelai asked him.

"No," he rubbed his arm, "although she is remarkably like you."

"We have so many memories here."

"We will still have the memories, we just won't be in the place we made them."

"We'll make new memories too." She added.

"Exactly," Luke nodded, "this was an amazing time in our lives, we've lived here for over 3 years, we got to know each other here, we fell in love, we brought Rory and Jess home here. But we will bring Theo home to our new home, our memories will build there."

"They'll be pretty great memories too, won't they?"

"They sure will be." He nodded, "I've already got pretty great memories there, I'm glad I get to add to them with you."

"I'm glad too…"

"Just hormonal and going to miss this place?" He guessed.

"Yeah."

"That's ok."

The next morning Lorelai was the first to wake up very excited, "Luke!" She sang, "it's move in day!" Waking him up.

"It's move in morning." He emphasised the word morning, "early morning."

"Yep!" She grinned bouncing on the bed next to him where she sat.

"You're happier than last night." He observed sitting up next to her and rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

"Yep!" She replied agin running a hand through his hair that was sticking up at weird angles from where he had slept on it, "you're cute."

"No I'm not," he grumbled, "men aren't cute."

"My man is." She grinned and he scowled at her, "you generally want me to say that isn't cute, you look like Jess when you scowl like that, especially as your hair is sticking out at weird angles."

"Jess is cute. Jess is three. I am not."

"You believe that." She kissed him, "good morning!" She said.

"Morning." He chuckled at her change of topic.

"Mummy! Daddy! It's the day we move into our new house!" Rory said running in.

"Where has all this excitement come from?" Luke asked and Rory climbed up on the bed with a huge grin on her face, "all week, both of you have been so sad about leaving this house behind and I've been trying to convince you you shouldn't be sad and all of a sudden gone!"

"Well babe, you must have done a good job?" Lorelai guessed and Rory nodded along side her.

"Right." Luke rolled his eyes, "the both of you are crazy." He told them and they giggled, "I'm going to go start breakfast." He told them climbing out of bed.

"Can I help?" Rory asked.

"Sure." Luke picked her up off the bed and carried her out of the room.

Lorelai got out of bed too and went into Jess' room where he was still asleep with his hair also sticking out at weird angles, she smiled and sat on the side of his bed, smoothing out his hair like she had just done with Luke, "Hey Jessie," she cooed gently, waking him up slowly, "it's time to get up so we can go move house."

"Ok." Jess mumbled rolling towards her.

"Not in the mood for walking, huh?" She asked and he shook his head so she stood up and lifted him into her arms, "you are getting heavy you know?" She asked him, "I won't be able to carry you forever."

"When do we get to start moving?" Jess asked, he had been looking forward to it after seeing the house.

"Straight after breakfast, the last people moved out yesterday and new people move in here next week so we need to go."

"Yeah." Jess nodded as Lorelai sat him down at the breakfast table.

"How come you can suddenly help?" Luke asked as Lorelai carried boxes outside to the truck.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean before when we were packing up the house it was, 'pregnant ladies really shouldn't do all that heavy lifting' but now that it's actually heavy lifting you are all of a sudden keen."

"This is exciting, packing up wasn't." She replied with a grin.

"I take it unpacking won't be interesting either?" He asked.

"Probably not, unpacking clothes might be."

"Good." Luke said sarcastically rolling his eyes, "don't do too much though." He said seriously, "if it gets too much stop."

"I will." She promised seriously.

A few hours later the four of them stood in the empty living room of the empty house. "Come on," Lorelai said walking towards the stairs, "let's do a last lap."

They slowly walked in and out of each room, Luke thought it was a bit stupid but kept his mouth shut. Once they had walked around the whole house they found themselves at the door.

"Bye house." Lorelai said.

"Bye house." Rory repeated adding in a small wave.

"Ready?" Luke asked and Lorelai nodded.

"Ok, good, let's go." He picked up Jess and walked out, Lorelai and Rory slowly followed them.

That evening the four of them sat exhausted on the sofa that had recently been put in the living room. Rory lay across Luke half asleep. Lorelai leaned into his side with Jess leaning into her other side already asleep.

"I'm exhausted." Lorelai sighed running her fingers slowly through Jess' hair.

"You did next to nothing."

"Not true, I did loads." she protested, "anyway everything is harder when you have to carry around another human in your stomach."

"He's not in your stomach."

"Good example of how tired I am, I can't even get facts right."

"Uh huh." Luke said leaning his head back and closing his eyes.

"Carry me to bed?" Lorelai asked Luke.

Luke chuckled, "fat chance of that! I'll carry Rory to bed, you can carry Jess and yourself."

"Did you just call me fat?"

"No, when did I say that?"

"You said the only reason you wouldn't carry me is because I'm fat."

"No I didn't. And it isn't true anyway."

"So you don't think I'm fat?"

"I think you should be fat the way you eat, I think you are pregnant, but no I don't think you are fat."

"You think I am pregnant? Are you not sure?" She grinned up at him.

"Come on crazy lady, let's go to bed." He stood up slowly taking Rory with him. Lorelai followed him up and put Jess in his bed and then went to check on Rory who was still awake.

"Mummy?" She asked quietly when she noticed that Lorelai was in the doorway.

"Yes baby?" She replied quietly walking over and sitting next to her on the bed.

"This is our new house." She told her.

"Yes it is sweetie, are you tired?"

"Yeah." Rory mumbled as she fought to keep her eyes open.

"Go to sleep." Lorelai said gently placing a kiss on her forehead, "the house will still be here in the morning." Lorelai sat on the edge of the bed until Rory fell asleep, which wasn't very long, and then walked into her own room where she found Luke waiting for her.

She got changed and got into bed with Luke's eyes following her. She got in and rolled on her side towards him slightly and he rolled over towards her.

"You know I think you are beautiful, right?" Luke asked her.

Lorelai giggled, "I thought you were going to be too tired for that."

"I am far too tired for that." Luke agreed, "doesn't mean you aren't beautiful." He shrugged slightly where he lay.

Lorelai smiled at him and leant over and kissed him, "any particular reason you want to tell me that?"

"Just checking you knew."

"Well you are beautiful too."

"No," Luke shook his head, "men aren't beautiful."

"My man is." Lorelai countered with a grin.

"We've has this conversation before."

"You are though. I like looking at you. Do you think Theo will look like you?"

"Well I am his dad."

"I know that, but it doesn't mean he'll look just like you."

"I have no way to know."

"I hope he does, baby Luke would be so cute."

"My features on a baby wouldn't be cute it would be freaky." Luke said running his hand over the light stubble that had developed over his face.

"The baby versions of your features."

"You've seen pictures on me when I was young."

"Not enough, and you were so cute. Especially in your sports uniforms."

"Whatever you say."

"I'll remember that." Lorelai grinned and Luke hummed in response.

"Want me to stop talking?" She asked still grinning, Luke hummed in response again this time with his eyes closed and his arm went up to pull her down a bit and stayed around her side.

"Night night." Lorelai said with a smile as she settled into his arms.

The next day was spent moving in properly. As the evening approached Luke sat on the couch, exhausted and resting, Rory and Jess where playing with toy cars on the floor in front of him and Lorelai, suddenly full of energy was wandering around moving little things.

"You know you could unpack useful things with all this new energy." Luke said as she started placing photos on the mantle piece.

"These are useful." She stepped back and considered it and then moved some around.

"How?"

"These are photos of our family Luke." Lorelai picked up one of the photos and sat next to Luke, "look at this one," she handed him the photo frame, "Maizy took it when we had just moved into our old house. Look how scared we looked, look how young Rory and Jess were, look how young we were!"

"I see."

"So, very important."

"I also remember."

"It's nice to see." She took the photo back and returned it to its spot, "look at us here." She pointed to another photo.

"I definitely remember that day." Luke smiled looking at a double photo frame from their wedding, one photo held the four of them and the other was just the two of them.

"It's nice to see."

"It is." Luke agreed, "but now that we've seen, come sit with me." He held an arm out and Lorelai sat beside him with his arm going around her. Luke kissed her for a few minutes and then pulled back to keep it decent in front of the children, not that they were paying any attention to their parents, "where's all of this energy coming from?"

"Dunno," Lorelai grinned sitting forward where she sat.

"You seem like you've just had a lot of coffee." Luke observed, "you haven't have you?"

"Nope, I wish though." Lorelai grinned and turned towards him with a questioning look, "is that why you kissed me? To see if you could taste any coffee?"

"I don't want to be tasting any coffee, it's disgusting and it's terrible for you."

"Right," Lorelai said and then was cut off by the door ringing.

"Who's that?" Luke asked.

"How should I know? I haven't opened the door yet."

"Go open the door then."

"Why should I open the door, you go open the door."

"You are the one will all the energy."

"Fine," Lorelai stood up leaning on Luke's legs to do so, "but if it's some crazy murdered and I get gunned down this is on you." She pointed at him and winked as she left the room.

A few moments later Luke heard the door open and Lorelai say loudly with excitement, "Sookie!"

Rory also heard this and jumped up leaving her game with Jess behind and running to the door.

"Our game..." Jess said sitting on the floor looking after Rory, "cars..."

Luke got off the couch and sat down next to Jess, "how do you play, Buddy?" He asked, "I'm sure I can do it."

Jess looked at him and then grinned and went into a detailed description which left Luke less sure that he could do it.

Lorelai returned to the living room with Rory on her hip and Sookie behind her, "it was Sookie." She said.

"So no murderer then?"

"Nope, at least I don't think so."

"Pity, there's always next time." He grinned over his shoulder as he continued to play Jess' game.

"Me and Rory are going to give Sookie a tour and then she brought us some dinner with her, which is good because I realised we had nothing."

"Yeah daddy, I'm going to give the tour." Rory nodded proudly from Lorelai's arms.

Luke smiled at Rory and said, "have fun." To them all turning back to his car game, "so can I do this?" Luke asked.

"No!" Jess said shaking his head and taking the car from Luke, "you can do this." He did an almost identical move, "but only if you do this first." Jess showed him something else.

"Right." Luke nodded.

After the 5 of them ate dinner Sookie asked if she could speak to Lorelai for a minute.

"Go on," Luke said, "I'll tidy up."

"Thanks hun," Lorelai kissed him quickly and then led Sookie to her bedroom.

Sitting on the bed she asked, "what's up?"

"Eric asked me to marry him."

"What!? Sookie! Congratulations, let's see the ring!"

"Ummm well..."

"Sookie?" Lorelai asked her smile dropping, "what happened?"

Later on Luke and Lorelai put the kids to bed after giving them their first bath in the new house. Once they were both asleep they returned back downstairs and sank into the sofa.

"Is this an acceptable time for us to go to bed too?" Lorelai asked leaning on him.

"I'm going to guess no." Luke said and then added, "but no one would ever know." As the phone rang.

"I got the door earlier." Lorelai said quickly.

"So you've got experience. Anyway it's closer to you, you only have to reach over I would have to stand up."

Lorelai sighed loudly and reached over and picked up the phone, "hello?" She answered it.

"Oh umm hi." She said nervously and after a short pause said, "ummm yeah, he's just here." He handed the phone to Luke.

"Hello?" Luke answered the phone shooting Lorelai a questioning look.

"Oh hi Liz." He said understanding the reaction now.

"Umm yeah, we moved in yesterday, we've got the weekend to sort it all out." Lorelai stood up, kissed him on the cheek and walked into the kitchen to get herself a snack.

"Liz..." Luke sighed awkwardly as Lorelai walked into the kitchen so couldn't hear him anymore.

Lorelai returned a few minutes later with a plate of cheese and crackers. She waved it in Luke's direction offering him some as she sat back down next to him.

"Yes." Luke said down the phone visibly annoyed by something.

"Right Liz, it's been a really long day, I've got to go." He said after a few more minutes of tense conversation as Lorelai munched on her crackers.

He hung up the phone and then sat back and sighed running his hands through his hair and then down his face.

"What was that about?" Lorelai asked him.

"Liz."

"I know it was Liz."

"Idiotic Liz."

"I knew that too." Lorelai grinned at him and he chuckled.

"Surprise surprise she got another idiot boyfriend. And surprise surprise he took all her money and then left so she can't pay her rent."

"You didn't?"

"What do you mean?"

"You didn't give her the money did you? You told her last time it was the last time."

"I know I did, but she'll get kicked out of her place, she doesn't have anywhere else to go."

"Luke! We can't afford to pay her rent."

"What do you want me to do? I can't turn her away!"

Lorelai folded her arms across her chest and leaned back.

"Lorelai?" He said softer than before, "she's my sister, I can't make her sleep on the streets."

"I know that, Luke I do, but, we can't afford it much more than she can! Babies are expensive! We are about to have our third one! I won't be able to work for a while, we won't have as much money. Do you really want to be working longer hours away from your family just so Liz can do what she wants?"

"Lorelai, there's nothing I can do. The idiot boyfriend stole the money, her rent was already behind, she's going to get kicked out, she doesn't have anywhere else to go!"

"She could get a job and pay her rent on time. She could not date weirdos who steal her money. She could do less bloody drugs, then maybe she wouldn't meet the weirdos in the first place."

"Her life hasn't been easy. I have to help her out."

"I know her life hasn't been easy, but you're making our life hard too. We don't have the money. This house is expensive."

"I know, ok? I know, but I didn't have a choice. I didn't."

Lorelai didn't respond to that but stood up to bring her plate into the kitchen. Luke followed her in, "don't be mad at me."

"Why not?" She asked turning around to face him.

"You can't pick your family."

"But Luke you can. That's what I'm saying, pick your family."

"She's family too. She needs me, I can't walk away."

Lorelai held his gaze and then sighed, "I know, but please Luke, we can't keep doing this."

"I know, I'll speak to her tomorrow." He nodded.

Very early the next morning at 2am Lorelai shook Luke awake.

"Luke?" She whispered out into the darkness.

"What?" He asked waking up, "Are you ok?"

"Yeah I'm fine."

"Then why did you wake me up? What time is it?" He rolled over and looked at the clock, "2am! Why?"

"I needed to tell you something."

"Lorelai! That could wait until the morning."

"I meant to tell you after the kids went to bed, but I got distracted by the whole Liz thing."

"What is it? This better be good."

"Sookie and Eric broke up, that's why she came round."

"Why?"

"He asked her to marry him."

"So why did they break up?"

"She wasn't ready, she thinks she is too young."

"So why did they break up?" Luke repeated himself.

"He asked her to marry him, she said no."

"So they aren't getting married? They can still go out."

"He doesn't seem to think so. He's ready to get married. It probably hurt him when she said no."

"That seems stupid."

"If I had of said no when you asked me to marry you would you have still gone out with me?"

"Lorelai, it's two in the morning."

"I know." Lorelai replied, obviously still expecting an answer.

"Don't you remember, I told you to forget it."

"Ah yes, how romantic." She teased.

"So they're over?"

"Seems like it."

"Think they'll get back together?"

"I dunno. Sookie loves him and he must love her too if he wants to marry him, but I guess of they want different things."

"Seems stupid to me."

"You said."

"Well it's the middle of the night, forgive me if I repeat myself."

"Remember when you asked me to marry you?" Lorelai said looking thoughtful as she recalled the day.

"I just asked you the same thing."

"It was my birthday, 17," Lorelai started to tell the story, "Jess had called me mama, we decided to stick with that and then you got really nervous and asked if Rory could call you dad, you were so sweet, I ofcourse said yes and then you asked me to marry you. Now this is the really romantic bit, you then realised what you said and told me to forget it. I asked if you really meant it."

"And I of course said yes." Luke pressed a kiss to the side of her head.

"And so did I." She replied.

"Can I go to sleep now?" Luke asked settled back into the bed.

"If you want." Lorelai kissed him quickly and then got out of bed, "I'm going to get a drink, I'm awake."

On Friday Sarah approached Lorelai just before lunch, "is Sookie ok? She's seemed really down all week."

"She has," Lorelai agreed, not sure if she should tell Sarah why, assuming she shouldn't if Sookie hadn't by now, "Come on, shell have the prep done for lunch by now, let's go get her and see if we can cheer her up a bit."

"Sookie!" Lorelai called walking into the kitchen with Sarah.

"What?" Sookie responded with a sad frown.

"Come on, us girls are going out for lunch."

"I'm the cook, I can't go out for lunch."

"Sure you can. I know this because you've done it before. Come on you me and Sarah, move your butt."

"I'm alright." Sookie shook her head where she sat on a stool picking at a bowl of blueberrys in front of her.

"Sure you are." Lorelai said beckoning her over, "Come on, Come with us. You can pick where we go."

Sookie sighed and walked over to them dragging her feet slightly.

"So where do you want to go?" Lorelai asked as they walked out of the Inn.

"I dunno." Sookie shrugged, "wherever."

"Wherever? Good, good." Lorelai nodded, "but where do you want to go?"

"I don't care you pick."

"Okie dokie, Sarah, where would you like to go?" Lorelai turned to Sarah.

"Ummm, why don't we go to your husbands diner?" Sarah suggested.

"Sure we can go to the diner." Lorelai said, although secretly she had hoped Sarah would pick somewhere else, she wasn't sure Sookie would want to see her and Luke together, "that alright with you Sookie?"

"Sure." She nodded, "can you get Luke to let me season my food?" She asked slightly happier than before.

"I can try." Lorelai grinned.

"Come on," Sarah laughed, "you can get that man to do anything."

"He can be pretty stubborn too." Lorelai pointed out.

They arrived at the diner and Luke walked over to them, "Good, Lorelai, I was hoping you'd come by." He said seriously.

"Because I'm so pretty." Lorelai nodded in understanding.

"What? No, can I speak to you?" He said distracted by something.

Lorelai gasped and turned to Sookie and Sarah who where both smiling, "did you hear that?" She asked them.

"Just come over here." Luke sighed and took her elbow and led her into the corner next to the curtain upstairs.

Sarah and Sookie took a seat and told Caesar they would wait for Lorelai when he came to take their order. In the corner they could see Luke and Lorelai whispering to each other, both looking worried about something.

"What am I doing?" He asked her in a nervous whisper when they made it to the corner.

Lorelai was about to make a joke when she realised he was actually worried, "Hey, it's ok," she said running her hand up and down his arm, "it'll be fine. It's just my parents, that is what you are nervous about right?"

"Yes! They'll hate anything I can cook!"

"No they won't. Luke, you are a great cook, definitely better than what they will expecting. And anyway we invited them to our house for dinner tonight, we can't back out."

"I know, I'm just nervous."

"I know you are babe, but you'll be great. Worst comes to worst, I'll still like you." She grinned.

"Cheers." Luke said dryly and Lorelai kissed him.

"Now come and take our order," She said, "and be nice to Sookie, she still hasn't told anyone."

Luke grumbled but followed her back to her table.

Half way through their meal the bell over the door rang and Luke looked up to see who it was and froze when he saw Eric walk in. His eyes darted over to Lorelais table but none of them had noticed.

He dropped his rag down on the counter and quickly rushed around it to meet Eric before he came far into the diner.

"Hey buddy," he said quietly stepping close to him, "it's probably not best that you're in here."

"Why not?" Eric asked bitterly obviously in a bad mood, "I just want a donut."

"It's just Skokie's right over there and I think she's still quite upset from what lorelais told me." Luke said keeping his voice down and nodding in the direction the three girls sat at.

"She's upset? I wanted to marry her and she said no." Eric said walking past Luke to the counter.

Luke turned around not sure what to do, he didn't want to kick him out, he liked Eric.

"Can I have a donut or what?" Eric asked loudly and Sookie froze where she sat mid sentence.

"Sook?" Lorelai asked, "Whats up?"

"Hey isn't that Eric, your boyfriend, at the counter?" Sarah asked innocently.

"Ex." Sookie said.

"Oh, that's what's been going on." She muttered to herself.

Luke and Lorelai held eye contact with each other, neither sure what to do, until Sookie stood up and said she had to get back to work and rushed out the door, Lorelai rushed out after her leaving Sarah sat awkwardly at the table.

Luke's eyes followed Lorelai out and then he sighed and walked to the counter to stand opposite Eric, "donut, was it?" He asked him.

"Umm yeah, thanks." Eric said his cheeks slightly red from embarrassment at the scene he caused, "Sorry." He added.

"It's alright mate." Luke gave him a smile and a donut, "stay as long as you want."

A few minutes later Luke noticed that Sarah was still sitting at the table looking worried.

"You alright here?" He asked walking over to her table.

Sarah blushed and said, "they left and well I don't have enough to pay for everything."

"Don't worry about any of it." Luke said with a kind smile, "put it in Lorelais tab."

"Lorelai has a tab?" Sarah asked confused.

"Lorelai just doesn't pay." Luke clarified.

"Oh." Sarah said, "Well Thankyou." She added with a blush.

Lorelai came home that afternoon with Rory and Jess to find a tense Luke in the kitchen.

Rory ran at Luke as she always did when she got home to give him a hug and tell him about her day.

"Stop!" Luke yelled out at her as he saw her running straight towards the water he had just spilt before they walked in.

She ignored him and kept going and Luke swore when she started to slip and he had to drop the sauce that was in his hands to reach out and catch her before she hit the ground and hurt herself.

"Rory!" He scolded her in an agitated tone, "I told you to stop, you could have hurt yourself and I've not dropped that sauce I spent ages making and that was important for dinner!"

Rory looked up at him with wide eyes and burst into tears. Luke sighed, "Rory is alright, just listen ok? There's no need to cry."

She continued to cry and Luke sighed and spoke softer to her, "sweetie, it's alright, ok? I'm just a little stressed out, I'm sorry if I was too harsh."

Rory nodded and walked back over to Lorelai and raised her arms to be lifted up. Lorelai picked her up and kissed her cheek, "Come on guys," She said, "let's go play in the living room, daddy's busy."

With an hour left until her parents where scheduled to arrive Lorelai was going around the house doing last minute tidying up with Rory and Jess following around behind her.

"How's everything going?" She asked carrying some rubbish into the bin in the kitchen.

"Ummm ok," Luke said adjusting his cap, "I've never cooked for your parents before. They always have their food cooked by a professional, how can I live up to that?"

"You are a professional, you cook in the diner all day long."

"That's not the same thing and you know it."

"No, but you've cooked for us many many times so I happen to know you are a really good cook." She said walking over to him and giving him a hug.

"Anyway," she added, "who cares what they think, they probably won't like the house too much either, or much else, but they'll like Rory and they'll like Jess and that's all that matters because eventually they'll leave."

Luke chuckled and kissed the top of her head, "have you got them ready yet?"

"Not yet," she shook her head, "I was just straightening up the house, I'll go get them ready now."

"Ok," he said, "then come back down here and watch the kitchen while I get ready and then I'll keep them here with me while you get ready."

"You want me to watch the kitchen?" Lorelai asked in outraged.

"Don't worry I won't leave you with anything to do, just shout if something catches on fire."

"I'll try, but I make no promises, you know I'm not much of a cook." She said as she left and shepherd Rory and Jess upstairs.

She returned 15 minutes later and Luke ran upstairs quickly to put on his fancy clothes and comb his hair.

Like returned quickly and then Lorelai returned upstairs to get ready, something that took considerably longer than Luke.

A few minutes before her parents where set to arrive Lorelai walked back downstairs and into the kitchen. She spotted Rory with a huge pout on her face.

"What's up with her?" Lorelai nodded towards Rory pointing the question at Luke.

"She's still annoyed at me for earlier." Luke rolled his eyes.

"Rory, sweetheart," Lorelai crouched down in front of her, something that was becoming increasingly harder to do, and balanced herself by placing her hands on Rory's hips, "daddy didn't mean to upset you ok? He's just a little bit stressed out. Grandma and grandpa are coming and they wouldn't want to see you in a bad mood."

Rory continued to pout as she looked her mother straight in the eyes. Lorelai tickled her side and she slowly cracked and started to laugh, "that's what we are looking for." Lorelai said with a smile and a groan as she stood up straight, "mummy's getting old." She told Rory with a smile as the door bell rung.

"Come on," she held a hand out for each Rory and Jess and led them to the door.

"Hey mum, hey dad." Lorelai greeted them with a smile as she opened the door.

"Hello lorelai," her dad said, "and hello Rory and Jess." He smiled down at them where they stood next to lorelais legs.

The five of them walked into the living room and then Lorelai went into the kitchen to get everyone drinks and check in with Luke.

An hour later they had done a tour of the house with her mother only making a few snide remarks and where eating dinner.

"Rory, sit up properly please." Luke told her as she was slouched over in her chair with a sour look on her face.

"No!" She shouted back.

"Rory come on," He said to her softly, "I said I was sorry, come on, everything's ok now." He reaches over and ran a hand through her hair and she pushed him away.

"Right, " He said standing up and picking her up out of her seat, "Come with me." He walked her into the living room shooting a Sorry over his back for leaving the table.

Emily looked at Lorelai with disgust and horror, "Where is that man taking my grand daughter and what does he think he is going to do to her?" She asked standing up mid sentence, Richard nodded along behind her.

"Mum, sit down," Lorelai said annoyed, "her FATHER is going to have a TALK with her because she's in a bad mood and is being rude."

"Talking about her father," emily said in a snippety voice, "Christopher has been in a lot of contact with us recently. Seems to have really turned his life around. Keeps saying how sorry he is and how he wants to set everything straight and how he loves you and Rory, very honourable don't you think?"

"Emily," Richard sighed, "I thought we weren't going to bring that up?"

"No it's ok dad, you've been in contact with Christopher!" She turned to her mother.

"Yes, as you know his father is a very good friend of ours and he's been mixing in his fathers circle a lot more recently. It's very good to see."

Luke and Rory came back into the room, Rory considerably happier than when they left, "sorry about that," Luke said oblivious to what was going on and placing Rory back in her seat, "we are all good now." He ran his hand over Jess's hair before sitting himself back down in his seat.

He looked around at tense faces and asked Lorelai, "everything ok?"

Lorelai hesitated so Emily answered, "not really Luke, no. I was just about to tell Lorelai here how I think she she let Rory see Christopher, me and her father have talked about it and we think it's only fair, you allow Jess to see that Liz girl every now and then and Christopher misses his little girl, he feels cheated."

Luke's jaw clenched but before he could speak Lorelai did.

"That Liz girl is Luke's sister, we can hardly never see her. And Christopher should feel cheated, he's missing out on an amazing girl, but it's his own fault, he put this upon himself."

"He was 16 Lorelai, have some compassion!"

"I was 16 too!" Lorelai replied raising her voice and causing Jess to cry.

"I'm sorry sweetie." She said picking him up and kissing his cheek, "mummy's not going to shout anymore." She promised him, hugging him to his chest.

"Lorelai," emily said in a calmer voice, "I know he's made mistakes, I know that, but I feel sorry for the boy. He seems to be really genuine."

Lorelai took a deep breath and handed Jess to Luke, "bring them in the other room." She told him.

"You sure you're alright here?" He asked her taking her elbow in his free hand.

"I'm ok." She smiled at him.

"Rory," She leant forward to talk to her, "go with daddy and Jess, ok?"

"Ok." Rory agreed with a smile and skipped after Luke.

"Mum, I don't know if I told you this, don't think I did but I don't remember fully, but Christopher came here with the same sob story. He kissed me mum. He knows I'm married, he can see I'm pregnant and he kissed me. He's a jerk."

"Lorelai, What if Rory resents you for not letting her see him when she's older? I don't want you to make any mistakes."

"It's fine Mum, Seriously we've got this under control. For now anyway we don't want anything to do with him, maybe when Rory is older and starts asking questions... I dunno, but we will deal with that then. Right now it's us. It's just us."

Emily took a deep breath, shared a look with her husband and then sighed, "alright."

"Alright?"

"Yes alright."

"Ok then." Lorelai said shocked and happy.


End file.
